Monday 21 March 2011

Double Switch (1987)

***
I'm a huge fan of Disney TV movies but I was unaware of this little gem. George Newbern and Elisabeth Shue? I must be out of my damn mind.

Think Eddie and the Cruisers meets The Parent Trap, or something like that. It has a great 80's soundtrack and a likeable enough lead, not to mention a hot love interest in the form of Shue.
It's the story of Bart, a teen pop sensation who has it all but has forgotten the true values in life, even forgetting about his Mother who he hasn't spoken to in six months. He attends a look-a-like competition and notices Matt (Newbern), an absolute dead ringer for himself. He immediately draws up a plan to switch places with Matt, a high school geek that rarely gets any attention. Matt goes along with the idea as would any of us and the two live a week in each others life. Bart goes to live the suburban family life and try to regain a sense of normality again. Matt on the other hand attempts to step into the shoes of a rock star and handle the pressure of a large group of screaming female fans.

It's a little dodgy in parts but overall it's a very fun movie. Shue is fantastic as always as the love interest and Newbern is great in both parts. I loved his sister and his bodyguard too but absolutely hated his manager. Not only his acting but his accent, drove me crazy.

If you like your teen movies with a hint of pop, ala Streets of Fire, you're gonna get a huge kick out of this one. I know I did.

No comments:

Post a Comment