IMDB Summary:
Alyssa and Amanda are two little girls who are identical, but complete strangers, that accidentally meet one day.
FYA Summary:
I am the prime demographic for Mary-Kate and Ashley movies; however, I did not have a lot of access to most of them, so they are not some core memory for me as they are for some in my age range (reruns of Full House, on the other hand, were on local channels, so I’ve seen that MK&A vehicle SO many times). But It Takes Two is the one exception to that rule. I was reminded of the movie the other day when part of Diane’s catchphrase about love—”It was that can’t-eat, can’t-sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over-the-fence, World Series kind of stuff.”—randomly popped into my head and I couldn’t remember where it was from. After internet sleuthing, of course I had to rewatch it, and, you know what? It holds up! It’s a kid’s movie, but it’s one of those instances where that doesn’t mean it is unwatchable for adults.
So Amanda lives in a NYC orphanage and longs to be adopted by one of their social workers, Diane Barrows, but she isn’t allowed to adopt as a single person. Alyssa is the privileged daughter of a cell phone manufacturer, Roger Callaway, who owns the summer camp Amanda’s orphanage gets to attend every year. Roger is about to marry a woman who is all wrong for him. In a fit of pique, Alyssa runs away to the woods between her family’s mansion and the camp and runs right into Amanda. And just like you do when you find your doppelganger, they decide to swap lives. Chaos ensues!
Familiar Faces:
Mary-Kate Olsen as Amanda and Ashley Olsen as Alyssa
I definitely shared the fascination the world had with the Olsen twins (albeit on a less fanatic (or creepy!!) level than some). The twins are only like a year or so older than I am, so I was not above thinking they were so chic and put together as famous child actors and wishing I could be like them. Watching as an adult, I am impressed with their acting skills. The movie’s a little cheesy, but it’s cheesy in a way that I like.
Kirstie Alley as Diane Barrows and Steve Guttenberg as Roger Callaway
Kirstie Alley as a person was unfortunately not a role model in her later years, but when I was growing up in the ‘90s, I thought she was the cat’s meow in whatever I saw her in: beautiful and sassy with that “it girl” charisma that was hard to look away from. So I could understand why Roger would be immediately attracted to her. It’s a different experience watching this movie as an adult, as, in spite of the ‘90s dad jeans, I could see that Steve Guttenberg was kinda hot in his goofy, aw-shucks rich dude way. This movie takes place over, like, a week, so their chemistry had to be on point to be believable, and I think they did a good job getting me to invest in their whirlwind romance.
Jane Sibbett as Clarice Kensington
(I love how, at one point in the movie, she runs her fingers over the boob tassels on this dress when she’s trying to play innocent. 😂)
Otherwise known as Ross’s lesbian ex-wife, Carol, in my household. She’s in good company alongside other almost-step-moms, like the Baroness from Sound of Music and Meredith Blake from The Parent Trap. (All hot, blonde women who find a widowed father attractive but unfortunately lack maternal instincts.)
Couch-Sharing Capability: High
Obviously this can be watched by the whole family, being marketed for kids, but I do also think the whole family will enjoy it! It’s got it all: comedy, hijinks, romance, strangers becoming friends (and then sisters!).
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Beer Or Champagne
I think this depends on whether you’d like to cosplay as someone from Amanda’s world—in which case, grab a Brooklyn Brewery beer—or if you’d like to pretend you’re attending one of Roger’s bougie Summer home parties—if so, then please enjoy a glass of champers (just make sure it doesn’t have any snail in it first).
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Comforting
Sometimes, evaluating movies from your childhood can often feel like: do I think it’s good simply because of the nostalgia or is it good because, surprise: you actually did have some taste as a child?! In the case of this movie, I DO think it’s a little of both, and I’m totally fine with that. This movie is bright and colorful and sweet, and I would not be surprised if I get the urge to watch it again a few years from now.
