Mischief Loves Comedy! "The Parent Trap" is a remake of the original 1961 film by Walt Disney Productions. Starring Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, Lindsay Lohan and Elaine Hendrix. The film begins with Nicholas Parker (Quaid) and Elizabeth James (Richardson) meeting on the Queen Elizabeth II. The two fall in love and decide to become husband and wife, and we are treated to a beautifully choreographed wedding ceremony. The movie skips to 11 years later, the couple has divorced and has full custody of each of their daughters, Hallie and Annie. The girls then meet up at a summer camp and engage in a rivalry. However when one pranks goes too far they must share a cabin together.
Though initially at each other's throats the girls learn to bond and get along. Discovering they share the same birthday and only have one parent and one photograph of their respective parents, the girls discovered that their half-pictures make a complete picture. The girls then realize that they are twins, and devise a plan to reunite their parents. Through coaching and hair trimming Hallie and Annie take each other's places. Hallie goes to London under the guise of Annie James, and is taken home where she meets her mother for the very first time. Annie under the guise of Hallie goes back to Napa and is thrilled to see her father for the first time.
Hallie and Elizabeth bond when she is asked to go to work and help out a client with her wedding attire. Annie and Nick arrive home and Annie is shocked to find that her father is seeing another woman (Hendrix). Chessy (Lisa Ann Walters), Nick's nanny is very distrustful of her and assumes she is a gold digger. Nick formally introduces her as Meredith Blake, and Annie is forced to meet her and tells Meredith that Nick has a system for meeting new women. Annie then decides to call Hallie and alert her that their father is in love, despite her pleas to bring Elizabeth to America Hallie refuses.
Meanwhile, Chessy is suspicious of Annie who is opposite Hallie: neat as a pin, has a small appetite and notices that Hallie's dog is acting strange around Annie. Annie desperately tries to sabotage Nick and Meredith's unexpected engagement. While Elizabeth, Martin and Grandfather are suspicious of Hallie when her mannerisms are not like Annie's. Desperate, Annie calls Hallie and insists that if they want their parents to remarry they have to bring Elizabeth to America and sabotage the engagement together. Hallie then realizes that it is time to come clean, and tells Elizabeth the truth.
Elizabeth then decides to fly to America, but hesitant and stressed insists that Martin chaperone her. Annie arranges for Elizabeth, Hallie and Martin to meet Nick and Meredith's parents at the Stafford Hotel. The plan works but Elizabeth is furious to learn that the girls are plotting to reunite her with Nick. Unfortunately, Meredith learns that the girls are twins and that Nick and Elizabeth were married. The girls then decide to recreate their parents' first date, but it does not phase either Nick or Elizabeth. One last ditch effort is to convince Elizabeth to go with Nick and Hallie on an annual camping trip.
Elizabeth through means of trickery makes Meredith go in her place. After a series of pranks such as rocks in her sack, a lizard in her hair and pushing her air mattress into the water Meredith snaps. She then insists that Nick make a decision his daughters or his fiancee. Nick realizes that Meredith is a gold digger and a shrew and coldly breaks up with her by choosing Hallie and Annie. Elizabeth shocked to discover Meredith has broken up with Nick, reveals that Martin and Chessy have started a relationship. Nick decides to show Elizabeth his vintage wine collection and tells her that he now owns the rights to the wine they drank at their wedding. Elizabeth tearfully decides to go back to London, as everyone says good-bye Nick and Hallie decide that they can't lose their family again.
Hallie and Nick surprise Annie and Elizabeth when they arrive home. Nick then says he is not willing to lose her again, Elizabeth at first is hesitant to accept his offer but then realizes she has loved him all along. The two then share a passionate kiss and get remarried upon the same ship. The movie ends with photos from the wedding and Martin surprising Chessy by popping the question.
As far as remakes go, this one has a lot to offer for both the adults and kids. The humor and hijinks are hilarious and very well-done, similar to "Home Alone" and "Dennis the Menace". The cast does a good job portraying their characters and there are times you can feel the emotions they are going through. It's a wonderful remake and a very good film from Walt Disney Pictures. Highly Recommended.
