Alright VHS disciples, grab your Hi-Fi Stereo VCR remote and settle in. Remember that glorious, slightly overwhelming wall of tapes at the local rental store? Somewhere between the action heroes and the slasher villains, nestled in the comedy section, you’d inevitably find a clutch of body-swap movies. The late 80s seemed obsessed with the idea, and leading the charge, hitting shelves just before the wave truly crested, was 1987’s Like Father Like Son. And what a hook it had: the pint-sized, ever-affable British superstar Dudley Moore trading places with America’s squeaky-clean teen idol of the moment, Kirk Cameron. It felt like a programming glitch in the Hollywood mainframe, but somehow, it mostly worked.
### Brain Juice and Body Swaps
The setup is pure 80s high-concept fuel. Dr. Jack Hammond (Dudley Moore, still riding high from Arthur) is a brilliant, driven, but slightly work-obsessed heart surgeon. His son, Chris (Kirk Cameron, at the absolute peak of his Growing Pains fame), is a typical high school senior more concerned with cool cars, girls, and avoiding trigonometry than following in his dad’s ambitious footsteps. Enter a vaguely mystical "brain transference serum" – obtained, in a plot point that screams "1987!", from a Native American character played by character actor Will Nye – and zap! Suddenly, the uptight, career-focused dad is trapped in the hormone-addled body of his son, while the laid-back teen finds himself wielding scalpels and dealing with hospital bureaucracy.
It's a premise ripe for comedic chaos, and the film mines it effectively, if predictably. Director Rod Daniel, who knew a thing or two about blending the supernatural with teenage life after helming Teen Wolf (1985), keeps things moving at a brisk pace. He understood the assignment: deliver laughs based on the sheer absurdity of the situation.
### Moore Goes Teen, Cameron Goes Stiff
The heavy lifting, naturally, falls on the two leads playing each other. Dudley Moore arguably has the more flamboyant role, channeling teenage energy into his diminutive frame. Watching him try to navigate high school – hitting on Chris's crush (played with charm by Margaret Colin, who often feels like the grounded center of the film), attempting cool slang, and generally behaving like an impulsive kid – provides most of the film's genuine laughs. Moore’s background in physical comedy serves him well here; there's a manic energy to his performance as he tries (and often fails) to keep up with the youthful abandon he's supposed to embody. You can almost feel the glee he must have had cutting loose from more 'adult' roles.
Kirk Cameron, on the other hand, has the trickier task of playing a middle-aged, sophisticated doctor trapped in a teenager's body. He adopts a stiffer posture, a more formal way of speaking, and a constant look of mild panic mixed with intellectual superiority. It's less overtly comedic, perhaps, but Cameron commits. Seeing Mike Seaver suddenly discussing surgical procedures and acting baffled by high school rituals was a definite draw for his legion of fans back then. Interestingly, it’s a retro fun fact that future Goonie and Hobbit Sean Astin actually auditioned for the role of Chris Hammond – imagine that alternate timeline!
### That Late-80s Sheen
Beyond the central performances, Like Father Like Son is drenched in the unmistakable aesthetic of its time. The fashion, the hairstyles, the synth-heavy score – it’s a time capsule. The high school scenes feel authentic to the period, capturing that specific blend of preppy and burgeoning alternative styles. The plot device itself, the magical serum, feels charmingly quaint now; a simple, almost fairy-tale catalyst compared to the more complex sci-fi explanations we might get today.
The film landed in a sweet spot for these kinds of comedies. It arrived just before Vice Versa and 18 Again! crowded the body-swap market in 1988 (not to mention the age-swap classic Big). Critically, it wasn't exactly lauded – reviews were pretty mixed, often calling it formulaic. But audiences didn't seem to mind. Raking in around $34 million at the box office against what was likely a modest budget (precise figures are elusive, but standard for the genre then), it was a solid performer, tapping directly into the zeitgeist and the star power of its leads. It found a healthy second life on VHS, becoming one of those tapes you’d see frequently gracing the "recently returned" shelf. I definitely remember renting this one lazy Saturday afternoon, the slightly fuzzy picture on our old CRT adding to the charm.
### Still Swapping After All These Years?
Look, Like Father Like Son isn't going to rewrite cinematic history. Its plot relies on a now somewhat culturally insensitive trope (the "mystical Native American" plot device), and the humor follows a fairly predictable path. There are no mind-blowing practical effects to marvel at here, just solid comedic performances and a concept executed with reliable 80s efficiency.
But there's an undeniable warmth to it. Moore is genuinely funny, Cameron holds his own, and the supporting cast, including Margaret Colin, adds heart. It captures that specific brand of light, high-concept fantasy comedy that thrived in the era. It doesn't aim for profundity; it aims for chuckles and delivers enough of them to make it a worthwhile trip down memory lane.
VHS Heaven Rating: 6/10
Justification: The film earns points for the committed performances from Moore and Cameron, delivering on its simple comedic premise with infectious 80s energy. It loses points for its formulaic nature and dated elements. It's a fun, if slight, artifact of its time.
Final Take: It may not be the smartest or most original body-swap flick on the shelf, but Like Father Like Son offers a potent double-shot of 80s star power and goofy charm – a rental night staple that still feels like putting on a comfy, slightly worn-out sweatshirt.