He had previously had a success with his theatrical debut as a director, the Michael J. There are pieces that are merely silly and Kirk Cameron’s sentimental tribute to his father at the end hits too mawkish a note but mostly Like Father, Like Son is a rather likeable film.ĭirector Rod Daniel worked in comedy television for most of his career between the 1970s and early 2000s. Kirk Cameron remains somewhat nebbish when playing himself, but gets right into the fun when he gets to play the adult in the child’s body – dressing down Dudley Moore for coming back drunk or turning to point with perfect moralistic righteousness, “He did it,” at a classroom culprit. Father and son Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron Moore was clearly having the most fun he has before a camera in some time. In fact, there are times Like Father, Like Son becomes downright hilarious thanks to the fine sense of comic timing from director Rod Daniel.ĭudley Moore has some wonderfully foolish scenes – smoking a cigarette for the first time in a starchy conference accidentally setting a couch on fire during a seduction attempt his reactions to watching MTV and some hilarious scenes as he attempts to affect teen idiom. The pairing of Dudley Moore and Kirk Cameron, who was then riding on the success of tv’s Growing Pains (1985-92) and had not yet become a squeaky clean Christian, is far better than one might think. Like Father, Like Son is the only one among these that did not bother with the whole bittersweet, wistful thing and played itself as an out-and-out comedy and as a result it comes with a far greater vitality and sense of fun than most of the others did.
Others included the likes of Big (1988), 18 Again (1988), Vice Versa (1988), Chances Are (1989) and Dream a Little Dream (1989).
#Like father like son 1987 movie#
This movie was made in '87, which I think was probably the height of Kirk's "Growing Pains" success.Like Father, Like Son was one among the spate of bodyswap comedies that came out over the 1988-89 period. Kirk did a great job of playing an adult as well. Motley Crue is played in it, as well as a song by Autograph.Īnother highlight of this movie is Dudley Moore! He is such a good actor. One of the highlights of this movie is the soundtrack. Like other "body-swap" movies of the era, including "Vice Versa", "Big" and "18 Again", the moviemakers milk the premise of a middle aged man acting like a teenager for all they can. After the two are switched back, they have to find out how they become themselves again. Hammond has to deal with acutally being a 17 year old trying to act like an adult. The rest of the movie is about how Chris gets away with being older and how Mr. Right when Chris thinks his life can't get worse, his friend comes over with brain transferrence syrup!
Sadly for both of them, Chris is into other things. Hammond believes that, one day, Chris will follow in his footsteps and become a doctor just like himself. Jack Hammond, is a workaholic and hopes for a promotion to chief of staff at his hospital. The movie starts off with Chris (Cameron) being a semi-geek in highschool. My grandma taped it and my sister and I watched it at least 5 times a day! I first fell upon "Like father, like son" when I was seven years old.