“17 Again” and Again and Again

With ’17 again’ hitting theatres worldwide people are starting to ask if the world needs another person trapped in an alternative body. The following is a look at four movies over the years that have attempted this idea.

Big

Starting off Tom Hank’s career in the movie industry, the 1988 ‘BIG’ was an instant classic. Josh Baskin (Hanks) wishes to be BIG at a magic wish machine. The next day he wakes up in an adult body. Following are a number of hilarious circumstances and of course lessons learned by the key protagonist.

Why it Worked

The movie managed to speak to its entire audience, every kid alive has at some point wanted to be older and skip the whole teenage years, and at some point every person was a kid. Hanks’ portrayal of the character was amazing to the point where people actually believed he was a child in an adult’s body. A classic in the movie industry if you haven’t seen this one yet free up a Friday night and get plenty of popcorn.

13 Going on 30

The 2004 Jennifer Garner movie portrayed a very similar situation to ‘big’. This time placing a 13-year-old seventeen years in her future, instead of in present day (like ‘big’ and ’17 again’). This movie wasn’t a flop in a sense, but it was quickly forgotten by most of its viewers.

Why It Didn’t Work

Garner wasn’t as convincing in her role as a ‘child in a grownups body’ and the movie suffered for it. Some of the situations were humorous, but for the most part very predictable. Also… wishing dust was the least convincing of any transformation tool.

Freaky Friday

It was 2003 and Lindsay Lohan was still known for her acting. Although not technically a one person cross over, the movie still holds similar traces of nonsense and embarrassing moments in an unexpected body.  The instance in which an arguing mother and daughter swap bodies in the worst possible time.

Why It Kind of Worked

Both Lohan who played the daughter (with mother inside body) and Jamie Lee Curtis who played the mother (with a teenage daughter inside) were very convincing and at some points too embarrassing to watch. Were it lost its audience was in the complex story line. Between the mothers re-marriage and the daughters boy and school issues it missed out on some basic comedy that should have been had with a new idea (well….a remake anyway). Worth a watch if people have time, but don’t give up a Saturday night for it.

17 Again

Offspring Entertainment’s latest movie ’17 Again’, starring Zac Efron, depicts a guy (Matthew Perry) who’s life isn’t quite where he wants it to be, after a visit from a mysterious janitor (Brian Doyle-Murray) he becomes seventeen (then played by Zac Efron) and attends his kids high school.

Why It Worked

This movie is the latest in ‘age reversals’ that have constantly being seen on the big screen. Oddly enough it was the first movie since ‘big’ in 1988 to actually hold steady and entertaining for a good hour and forty minutes.  Although audiences can recognize Efron and Perry as completely different people, both characters were humorous in their roles.  Efron was convincing as a father in a teenage body which led to many hilarious scenes including his ‘daughter’ and ‘wife’. Also a ‘spirit guide’ seems to be the most sensible reason for a character to change ages than any other movie. And if none of that interests you the ‘best friend’ character Ned Gold (played by Thomas Lennon) has many hysterical moments with both Efron and Perry, including lightsabers, computer games and the nerds guide to dating. Defiantly worth the movie ticket.

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