In honor of Friday the 13th, I figured we'd count down some of the best body switch movies.
There's still time left in the day for this to happen to you, so don't wish on any shooting stars, be careful if you're making a birthday wish, don't throw coins (or peeing, for that matter) into any fountains and avoid any kind of voodoo magic men. You may also want to avoid Aztec statues, necklaces and magic dust.
Otherwise you may end up like some of the people on this list:
13. The Change-Up
Number 13 is the most recent body swap movie. Released in 2011, the movie is about two men who switch bodies after being struck by lightning while peeing into a fountain. The result? They swap bodies. Dave (Jason Bateman) is stuck in Mitch's body. Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) is stuck in Dave's body.
At the beginning of the movie the two are envious of each other's lifestyles. By the end of the movie they've grown as human beings and appreciate where they are at in life.
12. 18 Again
Made in 1988, this comedy stars George Burns as a grandfather and Charlie Schlatter as his grandson.
Jack Watson (Burns) is a millionaire about to turn 81. David (Schlatter) is about to turn 18. A traffic accident results in their souls swapping and Jack finds himself living the life of an 18-year-old again. The plot had been used before and has been used since.
Just like in the other movies, their lives are straightened out thanks to the body swap.
Watch the entire movie on YouTube
11. Dream a Little Dream
If you haven't heard of the two Coreys, then you were born in the '90s and/or you haven't watched "I Love the 80s" on VH1.
This was the third movie starring Corey Feldman and Corey Haim.
Bobby Keller (Corey Feldman) -- a high school slacker -- who switches places with Professor Coleman Ettinger (Jason Robards) when Ettinger is doing a mediation experiment. This body switch includes Bobby's crush, Lainie Diamond (Meredith Salenger) and Ettinger's wife Gena (Piper Laurie). That's right -- two body swaps for the price of one in this movie.
This movie involves a dream-world where the real Bobby is living. The movie is rated a 0% by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but did well enough to garner a sequel in 1995: Dream a Little Dream 2.
10. All of Me
This one doesn't involve a full-on body swap. Lily Tomlin plays a dying millionaire - Edwina Cutwater - who wants to transfer herself tothe body of a young mystic -- Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant). Steve Martin is Roger Cobb, the lawyer assigned to make the arrangements to her will.
The soul transfer, performed by a foreign magic man, works...kind of. Edwina Cutwater ends up in Roger Cobb's body along with Roger Cobb. The two work together to make sure Terry Hoskins doesn't get Edwin's fortune. By the end of the movie, Edwin is in Terry's body, Terry is in the body of a horse and Roger is finally by himself in his own body again.
Watch a clip of All of Me on YouTube
9. It's A Boy/Girl Thing
This 2006 romantic comedy isn't remarkable, but gets the job done. Woody Deane (Kevin Zegers...one of those actors with a recognizable face, but no really big acting credits) switches places with Nell Bdedworth (Samaire Armstrong) after they have an argument in front of an Aztec statue. They, of course, wake up in each other's bodies.
There are important aspects in both their lives that the body swap messes up. Nell has an interview with Yale. Woody has a big football game. During the course of the movie, Nell and Woody (surprise, surprise) become attracted to each other. Nell is accepted into Yale thanks to the interview that Woody had to give in Nell's body.
So, does she now go to Yale or stay and be with Woody?
Watch the trailer on YouTube
8. 17 Again
Is it still a body swap if someone wakes up finding themselves as a 17-year-old again?
Regardless, it's on this list. Although it has a similar name as 18 Again, this movie is about 37-year-old Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) finding out that one decision he made when he was 17 changed his entire life.
A visit with the old high school janitor results in Mike O'Donnell waking up as his 17-year-old self (Zac Efron).
Like most body swap movies, this 37-year-old now has to relive high school in an updated setting providing some fairly comical situations.
7. Like Father Like Son
During the midst of his Growing Pains fame, Kirk Cameron starred in a body-swap comedy. Chris Hammond (Cameron) is your typical high school senior -- involved in track, has a crush on a girl (who is dating a football jock), etc., etc.
His dad Jack (Dudley Moore) is a surgeon who wants Chris to follow in his footsteps.
This time around a potion is what causes the two to switch brains. As you could imagine, a high school student trapped in the body of a surgeon isn't the best scenario if you're a patient.
Watch the trailer on YouTube
6. Freaky Friday (2003)
Pre-messed up Lindsay Lohan does a good job here, portraying Anna Coleman, a teenage girl who ends up in her mother's body.
Jamie Lee Curtis nails the role of Tess Coleman. Outside of the bad acting from Chad Michael Murray the movie is a decent watch.
The concept had been done time and time again by this point, but the 2003 version makes up for that with some new one-liners and an updated setting.
5. Freaky Friday (1995)
Not many people realize that there's a television version of Freaky Friday. The movie was updated in 1995, starring Shelley Long as the mother and Gabby Hoffman as the daughter. Same characters, same story.
There are a few minor changes. Annabel (Hoffman), for example, is a swimmer. Her mom is a clothing designer who is engaged.
Overall it's the same traditional Freaky Friday movie and provides some good laughs.
Watch the movie on YouTube
4. Hello Again
Not a full-on body swap movie, this one does involve a different soul ending up in a different body at one point.
When Lucy Chadman (Shelley Long) chokes to death on a South Korean Chicken Ball, it takes a year before her zaney sister Zelda (played by the hilarious Judith Ivey) figures out a way to bring her back to life. The moon, Earth and the dog star had to be shaped in a perfect isosceles triangles.
As you could imagine, Lucy's former co-workers, friends and family members are shocked to see Lucy alive once again. Meanwhile Lucy finds that there are obstacles preventing her from resuming her normal life. It's a fun watch if you have a free Sunday afternoon.
Watch the trailer on YouTube
3. 13 Going On 30
Perhaps Jennifer Garner's best role. This post-Elektra rom com is about a 13-year-old who is at her birthday party. Her best friend Matty (who is obsessed with her) gave her a doll dream house that he built and a packet full of magic wishing dust on the roof of the house. Jenna is more concerned with impressing some popular girls at her party.
Jenna ends up getting mad at Matt and ends up crying in a closet (teenage girl stuff...). The dream house happens to be on a shelf in that closet and happens to fall on Jenna's head. The magic dust falls on her and takes this 13-year-old Jenna into the future. She's now 30-years-old and seemingly successful and happy.
Then she finds out that Matty (now played by Mark Ruffalo) is engaged. It's a fun movie overall.
I think my favorite part may be the "Love Is A Battlefield" scene.
2. Wish Upon A Star
This underrated one can probably still be found at some local stores in a $5 bin. It's not about parents and kids switching places. This one is about two sisters who swap bodies. Alexia Wheaton (Katherine Heigl) is the popular, stylish, sexy older sister and Hayley Wheaton (Danielle Harris) is the younger, brainy sister who lacks confidence.
After a wish upon a star, they wake up to find themselves in each other's bodies.
Just like the others on this list, there are big things happening in both of their lives.
Alexia (in Hayley's body) has to present Hayley's science project. Hayley (in Alexia's body) has to deal with relationship issues and trying to become queen at the Winter Festival. In the end, this experience ends up being a way for the two distant sisters to bond.
Oh yeah -- the parents are hilarious in this movie! They almost steal the show.
1. Freaky Friday (1976)
Still the best body swap movie around, the original Freaky Friday did it first and did it best. Some of the scenarios are dated and some of the special effects are embarrassing, but Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris' acting is not.
They shine in their roles as Annabel and Mrs. Andrews. John Astin is equally good as Mr. Andrews.
It's hard to top an original and, so far, none have topped this body swap innovator. For some reason the breakfast scene at the diner and the field hockey scene always crack me up.
Related Content:
• Ke$ha: Warrior – reviewed.
• Batson's Favorite Things 2013
• Gravity – reviewed.
There's still time left in the day for this to happen to you, so don't wish on any shooting stars, be careful if you're making a birthday wish, don't throw coins (or peeing, for that matter) into any fountains and avoid any kind of voodoo magic men. You may also want to avoid Aztec statues, necklaces and magic dust.
Otherwise you may end up like some of the people on this list:
13. The Change-UpNumber 13 is the most recent body swap movie. Released in 2011, the movie is about two men who switch bodies after being struck by lightning while peeing into a fountain. The result? They swap bodies. Dave (Jason Bateman) is stuck in Mitch's body. Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) is stuck in Dave's body.
At the beginning of the movie the two are envious of each other's lifestyles. By the end of the movie they've grown as human beings and appreciate where they are at in life.
12. 18 AgainMade in 1988, this comedy stars George Burns as a grandfather and Charlie Schlatter as his grandson.
Jack Watson (Burns) is a millionaire about to turn 81. David (Schlatter) is about to turn 18. A traffic accident results in their souls swapping and Jack finds himself living the life of an 18-year-old again. The plot had been used before and has been used since.
Just like in the other movies, their lives are straightened out thanks to the body swap.
Watch the entire movie on YouTube
11. Dream a Little DreamIf you haven't heard of the two Coreys, then you were born in the '90s and/or you haven't watched "I Love the 80s" on VH1.
This was the third movie starring Corey Feldman and Corey Haim.
Bobby Keller (Corey Feldman) -- a high school slacker -- who switches places with Professor Coleman Ettinger (Jason Robards) when Ettinger is doing a mediation experiment. This body switch includes Bobby's crush, Lainie Diamond (Meredith Salenger) and Ettinger's wife Gena (Piper Laurie). That's right -- two body swaps for the price of one in this movie.
This movie involves a dream-world where the real Bobby is living. The movie is rated a 0% by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but did well enough to garner a sequel in 1995: Dream a Little Dream 2.
10. All of MeThis one doesn't involve a full-on body swap. Lily Tomlin plays a dying millionaire - Edwina Cutwater - who wants to transfer herself tothe body of a young mystic -- Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant). Steve Martin is Roger Cobb, the lawyer assigned to make the arrangements to her will.
The soul transfer, performed by a foreign magic man, works...kind of. Edwina Cutwater ends up in Roger Cobb's body along with Roger Cobb. The two work together to make sure Terry Hoskins doesn't get Edwin's fortune. By the end of the movie, Edwin is in Terry's body, Terry is in the body of a horse and Roger is finally by himself in his own body again.
Watch a clip of All of Me on YouTube
9. It's A Boy/Girl ThingThis 2006 romantic comedy isn't remarkable, but gets the job done. Woody Deane (Kevin Zegers...one of those actors with a recognizable face, but no really big acting credits) switches places with Nell Bdedworth (Samaire Armstrong) after they have an argument in front of an Aztec statue. They, of course, wake up in each other's bodies.
There are important aspects in both their lives that the body swap messes up. Nell has an interview with Yale. Woody has a big football game. During the course of the movie, Nell and Woody (surprise, surprise) become attracted to each other. Nell is accepted into Yale thanks to the interview that Woody had to give in Nell's body.
So, does she now go to Yale or stay and be with Woody?
Watch the trailer on YouTube
8. 17 AgainIs it still a body swap if someone wakes up finding themselves as a 17-year-old again?
Regardless, it's on this list. Although it has a similar name as 18 Again, this movie is about 37-year-old Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) finding out that one decision he made when he was 17 changed his entire life.
A visit with the old high school janitor results in Mike O'Donnell waking up as his 17-year-old self (Zac Efron).
Like most body swap movies, this 37-year-old now has to relive high school in an updated setting providing some fairly comical situations.
7. Like Father Like SonDuring the midst of his Growing Pains fame, Kirk Cameron starred in a body-swap comedy. Chris Hammond (Cameron) is your typical high school senior -- involved in track, has a crush on a girl (who is dating a football jock), etc., etc.
His dad Jack (Dudley Moore) is a surgeon who wants Chris to follow in his footsteps.
This time around a potion is what causes the two to switch brains. As you could imagine, a high school student trapped in the body of a surgeon isn't the best scenario if you're a patient.
Watch the trailer on YouTube
6. Freaky Friday (2003)Pre-messed up Lindsay Lohan does a good job here, portraying Anna Coleman, a teenage girl who ends up in her mother's body.
Jamie Lee Curtis nails the role of Tess Coleman. Outside of the bad acting from Chad Michael Murray the movie is a decent watch.
The concept had been done time and time again by this point, but the 2003 version makes up for that with some new one-liners and an updated setting.
5. Freaky Friday (1995)Not many people realize that there's a television version of Freaky Friday. The movie was updated in 1995, starring Shelley Long as the mother and Gabby Hoffman as the daughter. Same characters, same story.
There are a few minor changes. Annabel (Hoffman), for example, is a swimmer. Her mom is a clothing designer who is engaged.
Overall it's the same traditional Freaky Friday movie and provides some good laughs.
Watch the movie on YouTube
4. Hello AgainNot a full-on body swap movie, this one does involve a different soul ending up in a different body at one point.
When Lucy Chadman (Shelley Long) chokes to death on a South Korean Chicken Ball, it takes a year before her zaney sister Zelda (played by the hilarious Judith Ivey) figures out a way to bring her back to life. The moon, Earth and the dog star had to be shaped in a perfect isosceles triangles.
As you could imagine, Lucy's former co-workers, friends and family members are shocked to see Lucy alive once again. Meanwhile Lucy finds that there are obstacles preventing her from resuming her normal life. It's a fun watch if you have a free Sunday afternoon.
Watch the trailer on YouTube
3. 13 Going On 30Perhaps Jennifer Garner's best role. This post-Elektra rom com is about a 13-year-old who is at her birthday party. Her best friend Matty (who is obsessed with her) gave her a doll dream house that he built and a packet full of magic wishing dust on the roof of the house. Jenna is more concerned with impressing some popular girls at her party.
Jenna ends up getting mad at Matt and ends up crying in a closet (teenage girl stuff...). The dream house happens to be on a shelf in that closet and happens to fall on Jenna's head. The magic dust falls on her and takes this 13-year-old Jenna into the future. She's now 30-years-old and seemingly successful and happy.
Then she finds out that Matty (now played by Mark Ruffalo) is engaged. It's a fun movie overall.
I think my favorite part may be the "Love Is A Battlefield" scene.
2. Wish Upon A StarThis underrated one can probably still be found at some local stores in a $5 bin. It's not about parents and kids switching places. This one is about two sisters who swap bodies. Alexia Wheaton (Katherine Heigl) is the popular, stylish, sexy older sister and Hayley Wheaton (Danielle Harris) is the younger, brainy sister who lacks confidence.
After a wish upon a star, they wake up to find themselves in each other's bodies.
Just like the others on this list, there are big things happening in both of their lives.
Alexia (in Hayley's body) has to present Hayley's science project. Hayley (in Alexia's body) has to deal with relationship issues and trying to become queen at the Winter Festival. In the end, this experience ends up being a way for the two distant sisters to bond.
Oh yeah -- the parents are hilarious in this movie! They almost steal the show.
1. Freaky Friday (1976)Still the best body swap movie around, the original Freaky Friday did it first and did it best. Some of the scenarios are dated and some of the special effects are embarrassing, but Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris' acting is not.
They shine in their roles as Annabel and Mrs. Andrews. John Astin is equally good as Mr. Andrews.
It's hard to top an original and, so far, none have topped this body swap innovator. For some reason the breakfast scene at the diner and the field hockey scene always crack me up.
Related Content:
• Ke$ha: Warrior – reviewed.
• Batson's Favorite Things 2013
• Gravity – reviewed.
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