It Takes Two
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that It Takes Two is a lighthearted comedy that's predictable from start to finish but is fine family fare. An orphan is told that she can't be adopted by a single woman because "it's better to have a mother and a father." A soon-to-be stepmother is mean and connives to send her fiance's daughter to boarding school. Kids mock one another about believing in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. Children run away from their homes and summer camps repeatedly.
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What's the Story?
In IT TAKES TWO, twins Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen play strangers who just happen to look alike and share a penchant for match-making. Amanda Lemmon (Mary-Kate) is a tough cookie -- an orphan who fears being adopted by a family she's never met instead of by the woman who loves her like her own daughter, orphanage director Diane Barrows (Kirstie Alley). Her counterpart, Alyssa Callaway (Ashley), lives in the lap of luxury with her billionaire father ( Steve Guttenberg) but sees that her father's new fiancee is up to no good. The girls meet at summer camp and hatch a plan to bring Diane and Roger Callaway together, experiencing life on the other side of the grass in the process.
Is It Any Good?
There is nary a plot trick in the movie that hasn't been seen before, and even younger viewers will probably figure out who's going to end up with whom by the end of the second scene. Still, the cast -- particularly Allie and Guttenberg -- put their all into it, and there are genuine laughs as the girls pull the strings to get the grownups to meet. Both Olsen girls fare better when they're not reaching for Alyssa's blue-blood articulation or tawking Brooklyn-tough-guy as Amanda; it comes as a relief when they drop the artifice and are allowed to let their comic chops stand alone.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the likelihood of meeting your doppelganger like Alyssa and Amanda do. What would you do if you ran into someone who looked just like you? Is there anyone you know who you'd like to change places with for a day? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 17, 1995
- On DVD or streaming: June 11, 2002
- Cast: Ashley Olsen, Kirstie Alley, Mary-Kate Olsen
- Director: Andy Tennant
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: mild language
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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The Parent Trap (1961)
Charming classic has some dated gender roles.
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Matilda
Offbeat dark fantasy gem is intense, sometimes scary.
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Home Alone
Slapstick comedy is funny but full of iffy stuff.
For kids who love comedies
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
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