Top 10 Body Swaps in Movies

A cult film nominated for three Oscars, we open with “Being John Malkovich”, a body-swapping bonanza. It differs from some of the swaps on this list, however, as the change is really only a one-way thing. You pay $200, you crawl through an office-based portal, and become John Malkovich for 15 minutes; that’s the deal. You can get a lot done in that time though, and the practice gets quite addictive. The weirdness reaches its peak when Mr. Malkovich himself gives it a go. Malkovich, Malkovich. Malkovich…

Here’s a more direct body swap, as a high-school cheerleader and a small time crook find themselves trading places with hilarious results. Jessica is a popular kid with a mean streak, while Clive’s a lowlife with a criminal record. The two of them exist worlds apart from one another, but one false move with two fatally linked earrings and they’re very much entwined. Rob Schneider and Rachel McAdams assume the psyches of the opposite sex, and encounter side-splitting moments in doing so – from putting on make-up to using the men’s bathroom.

Our next body-swap is a stage-to-movie adaptation that sees Meg Ryan and Alec Baldwin star as a love-at-first-sight couple. When Ryan is kissed by an unknown old man on her wedding day, however, their story takes an unexpected and thought provoking twist. In amongst all of Hollywood’s more conventional romance stories, “Prelude to a Kiss” is something different. It’s a look at how shallow love can be, but how deep-rooted it can be as well – and its success is largely down to a stellar performance by Sydney Walker, the mysterious old man in question.

The late ‘80s were somewhat of a high point for the cinematic body swap, as many a movie focussed on anatomical exchange. “Like Father Like Son” saw Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron take part in that practice, with Moore starring as the father, and Cameron playing the son. As with any parent-child relationship, the two have many differing opinions. But then they’re placed under the influence of a ‘Brain-Transference Serum’, and they’re forced to see from each other’s point of view. It’s the very definition of family entertainment.

“13 Going on 30” is for any kid who thinks that they deserve a crack at being an adult – which is pretty much every kid ever! Jenna’s an uncool high schooler trying her best to become popular. But when she suffers one humiliation too many, she takes it out on the one person who really does care about her: her best friend Matty. She then locks herself in a cupboard, wishes away her childhood, and transforms into a 30-year old Jennifer Garner. Jennifer’s performance is perfect, but Jenna’s life isn’t, as she realizes that being grown up isn’t quite what it’s cracked up to be.

Here’s one of our more sinister swaps, and a John Travolta/Nicolas Cage movie that sees an FBI agent and a most-wanted terrorist assume each other’s identity. Travolta’s cop and Cage’s criminal have been sworn enemies ever since Cage’s character killed Travolta’s character’s son, but after an experimental facial transplant procedure, their identities become muddled. This particular body swap isn’t quite so literal, because even though both men are made to look like their enemy, they remain consciously aware of their own selves throughout, making for a uniquely brain-bending action thriller.

Body swap scenarios are confusing enough when they happen within the same generation or across two, but “18 Again” brings a third into the biological bewilderment. Jack Watson’s lived a colourful life as a millionaire playboy, but on his eighty-first birthday, he’d give anything to be able to do it all again. When he wakes up from an accident in the mind and body of his teenage grandson, David, he has the chance to do just that. Jack’s old-school ways prove to be a huge hit in college, and David’s popularity soars… But the real David is still bedridden in the hospital, and it’s only a matter of time before Jack must face the old age he’s been trying to avoid.

Less like a body swapper and more like a body sharer, “All of Me” sees Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin live inside the same Martin-shaped person. Roger Cobb has full control of the left side of his body, but after a mystical mishap, Edwina Cutwater controls the right. Their predicament is all about teamwork, hand-eye coordination, and learning how to pee straight. Martin plays his physically disjointed character to perfection in a movie that’s so slapstick it hurts – especially if you’re the self-chastising main character!

When Josh Baskin is turned away from a fairground ride for being too short, he laments his youth and the lack of height that comes with it. Then, he finds an antique arcade fortune teller machine, and a readymade answer to his problem. Josh wakes up the next morning as a fully-grown man, tall enough to do anything he wants. Tom Hanks’ character quickly gains employment in the toy trade, and rattles through a now-iconic rendition of “Chopsticks” on the foot-piano. But is being ‘big’ all it’s cut out to be? Perhaps not.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“The Change-Up” (2011)

“It’s a Boy Girl Thing” (2006)

“Vice Versa” (1988)

“Child’s Play” (1988)

We all know ‘the Friday feeling’, but none of us know this Friday feeling! Our winner, which is actually a remake of the 1976 movie starring a young Jodie Foster, sees an angst-ridden teenage Lindsay Lohan trade places with her strict mother, played by Jamie Lee Curtis. A movie that uses the swap to explore the dynamics of family in a consistently funny way, “Freaky Friday” nails all the intricate details and dilemmas – especially when it comes to boyfriends! While there’s probably never been a better mother-daughter movie, there’s definitely never been a better body swap film!


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