The Parent Trap defined my childhood
If you're wondering how much The Parent Trap influence my childhood... I watched both the Lindsay Lohan and Hayley Mills versions over and over again, prayed that I had a long-lost twin sister and even went to far as to completely trade places with a friend on one fateful day in kindergarten to pretend we were twins (we swapped outfits, swapped names and thoroughly confused every one because it was early in the school year). I'm not sure what about this movie thrilled me so much. It might have been because, looking at the timeline, it was one of the first live-action movies I saw that focused on the life of a young girl. Whether it was Sharon, Susan, Hallie or Annie, the protagonists in these movies are smart, driven, witty and crafty girls. Or it could be pure vanity and it's all because one of the characters shared my name... (I remember being equally obsessed with the musical Annie). Whatever it is, we're diving back in and rewatching the Lohan-version, because it never fails to make me smile (and we could all use some more smiles)!
There's something forever satisfying about seeing the old fashioned Disney logo pop up before a movie begins.
This movie has a GREAT soundtrack that I still listen to, and it all kicks off with the perfect L.O.V.E with Nat King Cole.
Baby's first Nancy Meyers movie!!! I had no idea what that meant at age seven.
The magic of this movie is it makes cruises look like a good idea.
"And introducing Lindsay Lohan." This film now makes me sad for two reasons: first off is obviously Natasha Richardson and second is Lindsay is the talent and promise Lindsay showed in this role.
I thank God every day that my parents never sent me to camp as a kid.
I bought a yellow duffel bag just like Hallie's. I told you I was obsessed.
We'll just get the rest out now. My love of jean jackets started here. I painted my nails sparkly blue just like the twins. I also mastered a rather excellent British accent, if I do say so myself. Phew, I think that's it.
I did not understand the "Lucy and Ethel" reference Hallie makes until I was much, much older.
It was a true life triumph to finally travel to a vineyard in Napa two summers ago. Also everyone in this movie is insanely rich.
Why would someone from London travel to Maine for summer camp? Why would someone from California travel to Maine for summer camp? This premise is deeply flawed.
An ICONIC handshake.
Are camp uniforms a real thing? I feel like it's just mean to the counselors who have to meet hundreds of kids and then make them wear the same outfit? It's no wonder it takes so long for people to realize Hallie and Annie are twins!!
Guys, this counselor is JANIS from Friends. She truly disappears into the counselor role. THAT is acting. Give this woman an Academy Award.
Of course this bourgeois camp offers fencing as an activity. Go walk around the woods like normal campers!
Hallie is mean.
And all these 11-year-old girls know how to play poker? One time my friend and I tried to re-enact this scene and we sat on the floor of my bedroom and just threw down cards and coins and nail polish, while Bad to the Bone played, because we had no idea how to play cards.
God, the water in Maine would be so cold...
TBH Annie's pranks are lame. Hallie continuously upped things to a ridiculous degree.
This scene grossed me out so much as a kid -- the idea of being covered in syrup was too much for me to handle.
Some problematic cabin names...
I'm so curious how the logistics of filming this scene went. What a mess if they had to do multiple takes.
JANIS with the dramatic point to the dreaded isolation cabin!!
Even if purely a plot device, this camp is practicing advanced ~conflict resolution~ techniques by making campers work through their own issues and not calling their parents.
Things I can't relate to in this scene: I've don't have a thing for Leo DiCaprio and I don't have a thing for Oreos dipped in peanut butter.
Classic romcom job: the single woman who designs wedding gowns!
OF COURSE it's Hallie's idea to switch places. Annie is like, "Wow we're twins! We should ask someone about this!"
Lindsay Lohan really does extraordinary work in this movie. She has so much dialogue and is acting opposite herself!
There's something so sweet about them each teaching each other about their families with pictures and hand-drawn maps of each other's houses.
Even as an adult, I still have to skip through the ear piercing scene. It's too much for me!!!
A lovely throwback to the first movie is the arms and fingers crossed motion! A subtle homage!
In addition to the soundtrack, I love this Alan Silvestri score!
Why is no one more alarmed that this girl got her ears pierced at summer camp!?
Hallie being nervous to meet her mom gets me every time.
Do we think this is the grandfather's home and Annie and Liz live with him? Or the grandfather lives with them?
Here Comes the Sun remains my favorite Beatles song.
This movie has many lovely nods to the adults watching along -- the Abbey Road shot being one of them. It's one of the many reasons a rewatch is satisfying no matter your age.
There are so many subtle layers in this performance. While Hallie is bolder and more confident than Annie, she shows glimpses of hesitation and nerves as she traveled to a new country to stay with people she's never met before!!
"Or at least make you think about the F word?" "The F word?" "My father!" Hilarious.
Wait wait wait wait... they met on the ship and then also got married that night??? And they both just happened to have like wedding clothes with them?? THAT is absurd. I take back the nice thing I said about cruises earlier.
Annie's nerves manifest in a general sense of chattiness. She's quick to ditch Hallie's bad habits. She uses proper language. She can't wait for this charade to be over.
Of course the dog figures it out. They're smarter than us all.
I never eat cornbread and chili but something about this movie always makes me CRAVE it.
When you start to think about the fact that Chessy and Martin are both hired help...
MEREDITH BLAKE. What a great villain name.
Poor Chessy has been dealing with this Meredith BS for three months, and she's over it.
Nick Parker is a v. eligible bachelor, so do we think Meredith is the first person to make a move on him in 11 years? Why did it work? Why her?
THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU REALIZE MEREDITH BLAKE IS YOUR AGE. She's 26?!
She lies to a Reverend about charity? The ultimate red flag.
All of Chessy's food makes me hungry, but those chocolate chip pancakes are literally making my stomach rumble.
Chessy with the shade! "He and Mrs. I'll have half a grapefruit, thank you."
Chessy and the dog are the smartest people in the movie. They're the only ones who know the secrets!!
What does Annie normally eat??? Isn't breakfast food in London pretty much the same as breakfast food everywhere else?
Why would Nick be featured on the wine label design? That sounds like bad marketing to me!
This shot of Annie running through the vineyard is beautiful. And it takes her literally 24 hours to get busted... tell me she wasn't trying to get caught.
Adopt Meredith? Pass. Adopt Chessy!!! She's basically Annie/Hallie's parent, since she can actually tell the difference between the two.
Nick's a dummy. He couldn't have thought that Hallie would just be happy about him getting re-married.
The only thing I like about Meredith is her car.
NO ONE rings a bell to summon Chessy. I take back what I said about the car.
I gave Annie a tough time for being v bad at impersonating Hallie but she is willing to go toe-to-toe with Meredith, and I love that.
Hallie put on a great show! I don't know how the grandfather figured it all out.
Martin and Chessy and their tears are precious. Adopt these two members of the family!! Stop making them serve you food!
The premise of this movie is ridiculous. I just have to throw that in once. I don't care. But I have to say it.
Natasha Richardson does an A+ panic attack. Smoking. Crazy hair.
"Anxious excited" my favorite mood!!!
"You're more like a lovable brother who just happens to wait on us." The disrespect.
Martin is busting out his leather jacket and is ready to be just a friend to this fam.
What do we think grandfather thought of this little arrangement when Liz pitched it to him? I bet he was against it from the start. I bet he orchestrated this whole thing by suggesting Annie go to camp in Maine. Then he mailed Nick an anonymous postcard advertising Camp Walden.
The direction of this whole hotel sequence is amazing.
Hello to the OG Meredith character -- Vicky!
Awwwwww, this poor dog just missed Hallie.
She's never had more than one glass of wine her entire life but she got married on a cruise ship? Doubtful.
Dennis Quaid's elevator lean. Iconic.
Liz, you told Martin he was on this trip as a friend, so you don't get to judge his Speedo or his desire to go swimming!
Nick saw Liz in the hotel and didn't think that his other daughter might be on the premises?
Another lovely tribute to the original: Lindsay singing Let's Get Together to herself. If you've never seen the first movie, you're due for a watch.
WHAT is in that hangover-cure drink?
Ugh, I'm such a sucker for Nick stumbling through the pool deck trying to find Liz. It's so sweet.
Martin snaps a pic!!!!
The twins reappearing at the perfect moment to give Meredith a great scare.
Ah the truth comes out, grandfather is loaded. EVERYONE is rich. Except Meredith. But she's trying!
Don't disrespect Chessy by kicking her out of this family discussion!
"You didn't come after me." "I didn't know that you wanted me to." UGH.
The twins pull a switch again. Nick/Liz are helpless. Call Chessy down and she'll get this straightened out!
I know it's the same person, but in my read of the scene, Nick is wrong when he points to one of them and says "that's Hallie." Hallie is running this show! She's obviously the one who steps forward and motions for Annie to follow and hear the rest of the plan.
I stand corrected. Liz is running this show! She swiftly gets out of the camping trip and tricks Meredith into going in her place.
If this were set in present day, Meredith would absolutely be an Instagram influencer selling Fabletics.
I think Chessy and Liz cracked open a bottle of wine and caught up in the comfort of the mansion. The friendship we didn't know we needed!
For some reason, I was also very freaked out by this whole lizard scene as a kid.
Being in the woods really brings out the cutthroat pranksters in Hallie and Annie. Literally giving her sugar water to spray on her body for mosquitoes? Savage.
And then they set her off to sea in her water bed!! Leading to a delightfully acted scene when the morning comes.
The chemistry between Natasha Richardson and Dennis Quaid is hot. They don't have too many scenes to develop it. It's just there from the start.
In reality, a man who purely collects and sells wine for entertainment sounds like he'd be terribly obnoxious/boring. Fortunately, Nick uses his lame interests for good by trying to woo Liz.
All the couples splitting up in the rain!!! This scene is just cruel.
Nancy Meyers loves a rainy, happy ending. This now reminds me of the conclusion of It's Complicated.
Where is grandfather though?????
This has got to be the best end credit sequence in movie history, right?
Well, well, well, I guess Chessy and Martin were a little angry about the DISRESPECT they received throughout the movie, because they enacted the best revenge -- getting engaged at someone else's wedding. THIS is the happy ending we deserve!!.
