Year: 1988
Runtime: 98 min
Language: English
Director: Brian Gilbert
A comical mishap at an airport inadvertently triggers ancient magic, causing businessman Marshall Seymour and his teenage son Charlie to swap bodies. Suddenly facing each other's lives, they must learn to understand and adapt to their new circumstances while also trying to thwart a group of cunning smugglers. These criminals are after a mystical skull, the source of their extraordinary body switch, and the father and son must work together to recover it and return to normal.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Vice Versa (1988), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
In Thailand, a pair of thieves steal an ancient skull from a Buddhist monastery.
Marshall Seymour [William Prince] is vice president of a Chicago department store. He is divorced and has an 11-year-old son named Charlie [Fred Savage], for whom he has little time. He and his girlfriend Sam [Swoosie Kurtz] visit Thailand to purchase exotic merchandise. At the same time, an art thief named Turk [David Proval] must find a way to smuggle an ornate skull out of the country. He places it with one of Marshall’s purchases so that he and his accomplice Lillian Brookmeyer [Corinne Bohrer] can make a switch later.
When Marshall returns home, he takes Charlie for a few days while his mother Robyn [Jane Kaczmarek] and stepfather Cliff [Judge Reinhold] are on vacation. While holding the skull, they wish that they could be in each other’s bodies. The skull possesses magical powers, and they suddenly find that they have switched bodies.
The two realize they must live out their lives as each other. Marshall heads to school, while Charlie assumes his father’s role as a vice president.
Marshall and Charlie visit the museum and talk with Professor Kerschner, who explains the true nature of the skull and wishes to show it to a lama before returning it to them. Robyn arrives home earlier than expected and is furious at the sight of Marshall (as Charlie) drinking a martini.
After failing to reacquire the skull, the thieves embark on a mission to steal it. Charlie learns from Marshall’s boss Avery that he has called a meeting to pull the plug on Marshall’s business. He collects Marshall at school and, after purchasing a device that will allow them to communicate with each other, Marshall listens in on the boardroom meeting and instructs Charlie on what to say. However, Turk kidnaps Marshall, leaving Charlie to fend for himself in the boardroom.
With Turk and Lillian holding Marshall for ransom, Charlie retrieves the skull from the lama. He then exchanges it for Marshall. However, he and Charlie rush to reacquire the skull so that they can switch themselves back. They catch the thieves just after they have accidentally switched bodies, and they take the skull back, leaving Turk and Lillian in their new bodies as punishment.
The police arrest Charlie for possible kidnapping, so Cliff posts his bail. Marshall asks Sam to take him home so that he can give Charlie a present. On the way, he proposes marriage.
Charlie and Marshall touch the skull, switching back into their own bodies. Marshall then goes to see Sam while Charlie listens to their conversation about the proposal. Though initially caught off guard, Marshall relents and embraces the proposal that Charlie made for him.
Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Characters hilariously swap lives and must navigate each other's worlds.If you enjoyed the hilarious chaos of the body swap in Vice Versa, you'll love these movies. They feature similar tropes of characters trading lives through magic or science, leading to comedic misunderstandings and heartwarming lessons in empathy. Perfect for fans of lighthearted, fast-paced fantasy comedies.
These narratives begin with an inciting incident that triggers the body swap, throwing the characters into immediate disarray. The middle act explores the comedy of errors as they attempt to maintain the other's life, often leading to escalating chaos. The plot typically resolves by finding a way to reverse the swap, with the characters having gained a new appreciation for one another.
Movies are grouped here for their shared core mechanic of a body swap, which drives both the comedy and the character development. They share a light tone, fast pacing due to the situational humor, and a focus on the bonding experience that comes from walking in someone else's shoes.
A humorous family-focused chase with light danger and a lot of heart.For viewers who liked the father-son bonding and adventurous plot of Vice Versa, this list highlights similar movies. These films blend family comedy with a fast-paced, low-stakes adventure, often featuring a chase, quirky villains, and a heartwarming resolution that brings the family closer together.
The narrative typically starts with an ordinary family facing an extraordinary situation, launching them into an unplanned adventure. The journey is punctuated by comedic set pieces and moments of light suspense as they work together to achieve a goal, often outwitting bumbling antagonists. The story concludes with the family bond stronger than ever, having shared a unique and thrilling experience.
These movies are grouped for their specific blend of genre and tone: the comedic energy of an adventure, the emotional core of family relationships, and a pacing that keeps the story moving briskly without becoming overly intense. They deliver an experience that is exciting, funny, and ultimately uplifting.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Vice Versa in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Vice Versa is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of Vice Versa with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Vice Versa. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Vice Versa that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Vice Versa: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like Vice Versa that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
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