Netflix Christmas movie slammed for 'unnecessary incest' gets unwanted Rotten Tomatoes response
Netflix’s latest holiday offering has been dealt a huge blow after disgruntled viewers took to social media to slam the movie.
Undeniably, the streaming giant has been dividing users with its feel-good Christmas offerings for some time.
In 2018, the original Princess Switch film hit the service with mixed reviews. Two years later, Emma Roberts’ Holidate was released, and in 2022, it was all about Lindsay Lohan’s Falling for Christmas.
Late last month, Netflix released Family Switch - and it’s hitting headlines for all the wrong reasons.
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The film follows the Walkers - a nuclear family of five who have a lot on their minds. There are college interviews to prepare for, record deals to clinch, and a soccer tryout to nail.
After visiting a planetarium and getting their photograph snapped, the family wake up the next morning to find they’ve all switched bodies.
The film - starring Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms - sounds harmless, right? Think Freaky Friday and 13 Going on 30.
Well, unfortunately, Netflix viewers have taken offence due to one particularly weird, incestuous scene.
During said scene, daughter CC (played by Emma Myers) is in her mother’s body while being joined by friends at the family home.
In an attempt to stir the pot, one of the group claims that ‘couples need a minimum of 12 kisses a day just to sustain a relationship’.
Despite CC pretending that she pecks her ‘husband’ - whose body is currently occupied by her brother Wyatt (Brady Noon) - ‘14 times a day’, the so-called friends want to see a smooch in action.
So, what then takes place is a very strange kiss between brother and sister acting as mum and dad.
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Naturally, fans have taken to social media to air their frustrations with the movie’s divisive scene.
One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote: “That weird kiss between the siblings in Family Switch wasn't it.”
A second said: “Sorry this Family Switch movie just got weird. Coz the siblings in the parent's bodies just kissed.
“And now the parents in the children’s bodies are having a moment. WTF. (why do I watch sh*t movies on purpose??)”
“It was fun to watch. Could have missed the part where the kids in their parents bodies were forced to kiss but overall a cute movie with a lovely message behind,” wrote another.
Following the backlash, the McG-directed film - based on the book Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse Rosenthal - has scored low on Rotten Tomatoes.
At the time of writing, the Family Switch has scored just 45 percent on the Tomatometer. It also holds a meagre 49 percent audience score.
However, not everyone agrees with the trusted review website.
One X user said: “Despite the poor Rotten Tomatoes rating, I suggest checking Family Switch out. It's a well-made, solid Christmas family film.
“Believe me when I say that this movie genre doesn't normally produce gems. This flick is one of the rare very good ones.”
Topics: Twitter, TV and Film, Christmas, Netflix, Weird
Ella Scott