Switchmas
Common Sense says
- NR
- 2011
- 100 minutes
Parents say
Kids say
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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 Switchmas presents very little to worry about. A character is shown drinking a martini and behaves drunkenly. There's some bullying in the form of chasing and destroying property, which is safely resolved, but a scene in which a father berates and shoves his son, who appears to be about 12, ends without resolving anything when the father goes back into the house. All other adults and kids are good role models, and the movie conveys positive messages about the importance of family and the inclusiveness of holiday spirit.
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What's the story?
When the Finkelsteins have to cancel their plans to spend their winter holiday in the snow, they decide to send their son Ira, who's obsessed with Christmas, to stay with his grandparents in Florida for a week. During a layover in Chicago, Ira meets Mikey, another kid traveling alone who doesn't want to spend his vacation with his cousins in Christmastown, Washington. Since neither kid has seen his family in years, they decide to switch places so each boy will get the holiday he wants. It looks like Ira's finally going to get the Christmas of his dreams, until he realizes too late that all he really wants is to be with his real family again.
Is it any good?
SWITCHMAS has a good heart and positive, inclusive messages about Christmas. Kids will enjoy the classic "old switcheroo" story, but adults and teens will have a hard time getting past the clichés: Yes, the kids put on a big show to save Christmas; and yes, there's a bully (whose story line feels like a manufactured attempt to create drama). Kids also are unlikely to be bothered by the production's flaws. Most of the child actors are creditable, but a few are painfully self-conscious. A couple of CGI dream sequences have a low-budget look and grating, saccharine music. The overall production quality has a made-for-TV feel just a notch or two down from an original series on Disney or Nickelodeon.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about why holidays are special. What are your favorite holidays, and how do you celebrate them?
What are some of your favorite holiday movies? Do you think this one is as good as your favorites? Why, or why not?
Ira puts on a play called "Christmas Is for Everyone." What do you think that means? What about Christmas is for everyone?
Movie details
- In theaters: October 29, 2011
- On DVD or streaming: October 30, 2013
- Cast: Elliott Gould, David Deluise, Elijah Nelson
- Director: Sue Corcoran
- Studio: Von Piglet Productions
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models, Holidays, Misfits and Underdogs
- Run time: 100 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
Themes & Topics
For kids who love the holidays
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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.