The Parent Trap (May 29/05)

The Parent Trap is exactly the sort of easy-going, endlessly engaging family film that seems to have become an unusually rare breed in this day and age. Stripped of needless pop culture references and the sort of ironic detachment that seems to accompany every new family-oriented production, The Parent Trap is essentially the definition of good, old-fashioned entertainment.

Lindsay Lohan (making her cinematic debut) stars as Hallie Parker and Annie James, a pair of identical twins who - as the film opens - have no idea of the other's existence. But after meeting at a summer camp for girls, the two decide to switch places in order to get to know the parent they've never met. In Annie's case, that's mother Elizabeth James (Natasha Richardson) - while Hallie is off to meet dad Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid). The girls' plan to get their folks back together is foiled by the appearance of Nick's fiancee, a sleazy and money-grubbing publicist named Meredith Blake (played by Elaine Hendrix).

The Parent Trap marked the final collaboration between husband-and-wife filmmaking team Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer prior to their divorce, and it seems clear that the two work a whole lot better together than apart (ie Meyers' first post-marriage effort was the underwhelming Something's Gotta Give). Right from the opening frames, it's clear that Meyers (who directs) isn't interested in peppering the film with a lot of quick cuts and loud songs; rather, the story opens with an old standard by Nat King Cole that effectively and appropriately gets things off to a romantic start.

It's a smart choice on Shyer and Meyers' part, given the sort of amorous undertones that they've imbued the film with. Aside from Elizabeth and Nick's rekindled love affair, there's a wonderful subplot involving a burgeoning romance between Elizabeth's butler (played by Simon Kunz) and Nick's assistant (Lisa Ann Walter). It certainly doesn't hurt that Quaid has never been more charismatic, something that goes a long way towards establishing Nick's chemistry with Elizabeth (Richardson is just as good, though the actress is never quite able to approach Quaid's level of pure charm).

Of course, the effectiveness of everything in the film hinges on Lohan and her ability to persuade us that she's two distinct, separate characters. Though her experience was limited to a stint on a soap opera, the actress does a phenomenal job of stepping into the shoes of both Annie and Hallie (and even pulls off a convincing British accent). It's easy enough to see why Lohan has since become a huge star, as she possesses a sort of easy-going likability that's generally impossible to learn.

Now, this isn't to say that The Parent Trap is perfect; with a running time of over two hours, the film is a little on the long side (though it never feels overlong). There are certain aspects within the screenplay that could've easily been trimmed - ie Nick's relationship with the thoroughly incompatible Meredith - yet that's an awfully minor complaint given how utterly entertaining The Parent Trap is from start to finish.