Video/DVD Review: The Parent Trap
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that they may want to reassure their
kids if they're distressed by the fact that the parents split
up the twins and made no attempt to see the child they gave up.
Divorced parents should make sure their children have no
illusions of a reconciliation, and all parents should make sure
that while it may be charming for the children in the movie to
manipulate their parents, it's not appropriate for real life.
Other parental concerns include Elizabeth's getting drunk
(portrayed as funny) because of her nervousness at seeing Nick
again and a truly grisly scene in which one twin pierces the
other's ears. There's also a poker game bet which ends with a
child jumping in the lake without any clothes.
Families can talk about how this movie compares to the
original, whether this remake was well done, and why some
remakes are good while others pale in comparison to the
original.
This remake stars Lindsay Lohan as both Hallie and Annie, twin girls separated at birth, who meet up at summer camp and decide to switch places. Their father, Nick (Dennis Quaid), owns a vineyard, and their mother Elizabeth (Natasha Richardson) designs wedding gowns. Meredith, the scheming girlfriend, hopes to marry their father for his money. Hallie and Annie set out to get their parents back together, and while they're at it, make life miserable for Meredith.
This is a delightful remake of the Hayley Mills classic. Lohan is utterly adorable and does a masterful job of creating two separate characters, each of whom spends a large part of the movie impersonating the other. But divorced parents should make sure their children have no illusions of a reconciliation, and all parents should make sure that while it may be charming for the children in the movie to manipulate their parents, it is not appropriate for real life.
Children who enjoy this version will get a kick out of comparing it to the original. Make sure that they notice Joanna Barnes, who plays Vicki (the fiancee) in the original, playing Vicki (the fiancee's mother) in the remake.
The Parent Trap (1961)Freaky Friday
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