In a recent viewing of Freaky, I mused on the need for the body swap subgenre of film to shake off the cobwebs of old concepts and do something original with the conceit. Yet, there was not always a need to be so jaded by this core story idea. It was not that long ago – I refuse to believe the 80s were that long ago – when a film such as Like Father Like Son could hit the big screen and be considered a somewhat novel experience. Sure, Freaky Friday had been created over a decade prior and there were odd narratives that tackled the concepts before and after that classic, but there was still plenty of gas left in the tank when this one hit movie theaters in 1987. The film was a modest success thanks to the international popularity of the comedic icon Dudley Moore thanks to hits such as Arthur and 10, not to mention the power of pre-evangelical Kirk Cameron, who at this time only had the legacy of Growing Pains on his side. Like Father Like Son does not seek to reinvent the genre, but it has enough heart and decent comedic beats to be a solid addition overall.
Like every film of this nature, there are two people who cannot seem to understand where the other is coming from which causes some tension. In the case of this film, it is the father-son duo of Jack and Chris Hammond; Jack (Dudley Moore) is a very successful surgeon who is gunning for an open Chief of Staff position at the hospital and wants his son to follow in his footsteps. Chris (Kirk Cameron) is not interested in this one bit, as he aims to break free from his overbearing father and live the life he wants to which includes taking his dream girl from school to a concert – much to the chagrin of her meathead boyfriend. Every body-swap film needs a means of making the switch happen, and this film takes a somewhat more scientific approach. In this reality, there exists a “brain transference serum” that happens to be in the possession of the uncle of Chris’ best friend Trigger (Sean Astin, The Goonies). As you would expect, things conveniently happen and this serum ends up in some food and boom – they have switched bodies.
As noted, the film does not seek to be very original so each of them go about ruining the other’s lives in one way or another. The “new” Jack loves having access to his dad’s credit cards and gets a bit over his head when his boss’ wife starts propositioning him. The “new” Chris is suddenly a lot more involved in class participation as he shows up some of the teachers and gets a crash-course on bullying in the modern age. There are definite perks that come from inhabiting each other’s bodies, but they are more than ready to get back to being themselves once they have learned their appropriate lessons. The biggest obstacle for the film seems to be the fact that it cannot stray too far away from the family-friendly guidelines that you know were established. It makes sense that Freaky Friday did not get as wild, but when you have guys in the same situation in an 80s comedy, you expect the worst (in a good way). The hilarity that ensues is entertaining enough, but somehow a little plain when viewed from a modern perspective. The movie works best when it is tapping into the emotional center of the film.
Moore proves to be doing the heavy lifting in this film in both the comedic and emotional moments, but Cameron does eventually get to come alive once the switch happens. In all honesty, Sean Astin is much more dynamic in a smaller supporting role than Cameron ever is throughout the runtime in either version of the character. There are solid lessons imparted here about the necessity of seeing situations from different perspectives and communication between parents and children to which many will be able to relate. It is true that you are unlikely to think about Like Father Like Son much once you have finished it, but it is a guilt-free time while you are watching it.
Video Quality
Like Father, Like Son gets an upgrade to Blu-Ray courtesy of Mill Creek Entertainment, but deeming it an upgrade feels disingenuous. The transfer is sourced from an older master provided by Columbia Pictures that shows nary a moment of natural film grain underneath a large assortment of digital issues. The biggest issue with this disc is not the occasional speck of damage to the print, but rather the ugly compression artifacts and macroblocking that plague most of the film. The presentation has a handful of moments where scenes stabilize a bit more, but these moments do not stick around long. The colors are muted with not much stability in saturation. Skin tones look fairly natural, but the black levels are inundated with crush. Mill Creek Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray disc that might technically be a step up from DVD, but it is one of the poorer efforts I have seen in some time.
Audio Quality
This new Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that offers a much more pleasing presentation than the video portion of the disc. The film is not an audio heavy-hitter, but certain moments at the concert pack a nice punch in the mix. The dialogue holds up well, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely when it comes to showcasing the ambience of the suburban setting. The track mostly avoids instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. This is a track that represents the film quite capably. Optional English subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
There are no special features included on this disc. The only notable aspect of this release is the “VHS-Style” slipcover that ships with the packaging sporting some superior cover art.
Final Thoughts
Like Father Like Son is your typical body-swap comedy that proves to be a decent time waster even when it is not doing something radically original. Those who will appreciate the film will likely do so thanks to the strong performance from Dudley Moore, who provides a nice balance of heart and comedy for the feature. Mill Creek Entertainment has provided a Blu-Ray that is simply not a good disc. The audio is perfectly fine, but the horrendous video and lack of extras makes this one tough to recommend.
Like Father Like Son is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Mill Creek Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
