In previous articles on the Body Swap film subgenre, we outlined Top Body Swap Films You Haven’t Seen and More Body Swap Films You Haven’t Seen. Due to the popularity of those articles (and videos), we’ve created yet another article outlining some very rare subgenre films for a list of Even More Body Swap Films You Haven’t Seen.
In our previous article, we listed Body Swap films that would be considered second tier films of the subgenre. In this article, we’re delving deep into the Body Swap film subgenre for some Made-for-TV and non-English language films that feature Body Swap or Body Switch themes. Some of these films feature male to male body swaps, younger to older body swaps, older to younger body swaps, male to female body swaps, female to male body swaps and a couple of films that feature multiple body swaps within the same film.
Films that didn’t make our Even More Body Swap Films You Haven’t Seen list and are worth checking out by fans and completists of the Body Swap film subgenre: Freaky Friday (1995), Help! I’m a Boy (2002), Dame Tu Cuerpo (2003), Si j’etaie elle (2004), Our Little Science Story (2005), If I Were You (2006), Holiday Wishes (2006), Just Follow Law (2006), The Secret (2006), A Walk in My Shoes (2010), The Christmas Swap (2016), Body Swap (2019), Switched (2020) and A Family Matters Christmas (2022).
We included some updated text below from our first Body Swap article if you’d like additional information on more popular Body Swap films.
Of all the Comedy Film subgenres, Body Swap Films tend to follow a few tried and true themes. These themes include gender body swaps and age body swaps. Two sub-themes that are also explored in this subgenre are reincarnation and time travel where a person from the present occupies their same self or someone else in the past or future.
The Body Swap subgenre was represented in the 1970’s by a few films – mainly Freaky Friday (1976) and Heaven Can Wait (1978). It wasn’t until the 1980’s that this subgenre became popular with a rash of films from 1984 – 1989. These films included All of Me (1984), Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Like Father Like Son (1987), Vice Versa (1988) and 18 Again! (1988). The King of Body Swap Films actually came at the end of this trend with Tom Hanks in Big (1988). Big is by far the most popular Body Swap film and and helped define the subgenre moving forward.
As other past trends have shown, it wasn’t until the 2000’s that we again saw a repeat of the Body Swap Film subgenre with films such as The Hot Chick (2002), the remake of Freaky Friday (2003), 13 Going on 30 (2004), and 17 Again (2009). Most recently we’ve seen a variation of the Body Swap subgenre crossover with the Superhero/Comic subgenre and Action-Adventure subgenre with Shazam! (2019) and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017).
The 2000’s have seen two Body Swap films to date with Freaky (2020) and Swap Me, Baby (2022).
Our list of Body Swap Films includes over 65+ films that span different genres including Comedy, Science Fiction and even Horror. For films that are not technically Body Swap films but utilize similar themes (i.e. a person explores a parallel timeline where their life is different), our list of Contemporary & Urban Fantasy Films and list of Alternate History Films will most likely include those types of films. Our list of Family Films With Animals will have films that also aren’t necessarily body swap films but feature a human becoming an animal or inhabiting the body of an animal. Films such as The Shaggy Dog (2006) would be found in this collection.
We have embedded a compilation video of Even More Body Swap Films You Haven’t Seen and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
#10
Miss Change
Plot: Je-chil, a successful lawyer, suffers from chronic shyness and loses the case every time he is up against a female opponent. One day, he discovers an unconscious woman on the street and discovers he can swap bodies with her.
KBZ’s Take: This South Korean film is one of the more unique films in the entire Body Swap film subgenre. The Body Swap theme present in this film revolves around an unconscious (or dead) woman that a man discovers and can swap bodies with her. The catch – once he swaps bodies with her and she becomes alive, his body falls unconscious. It’s a neat trick that’s used for some very funny sequences in the film – especially when the two men figure out how they can use the body swap to their advantage. Recommended for fans and completists of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: N/A
Plot: A younger sister wishes to switch places with her popular older sister and the two bickering siblings awaken to find the wish has come true.
KBZ’s Take: This film doesn’t break any new ground in the subgenre and relies on many of the same Body Swap film tropes you’ve likely seen before. However, what’s raises it above average films in the subgenre are the performances from a young Katherine Heigl (as the older sister) and Danielle Harris (as the younger sister). Older viewers might find the film cliché, but it’s geared towards younger viewers who will likely find the film very funny.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3FhoeR5
#8
The Swap
Plot: Comic chaos ensues when a text causes gymnast Ellie, who’s in an important contest, to swap bodies with hockey player brother Jake who’s vying for a varsity spot.
KBZ’s Take: This is another film of the subgenre geared towards teens and younger kids so adults might not find the film that interesting. Most of the usual subgenre tropes are explored in this film (some funny, some not), but it’s the performances from Peyton List and Jacob Bertrand that make the film watchable.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3udKbKC
Plot: Santa Claus (Cedric Smith) temporarily switches bodies with a younger man (Brian Krause) to make his job easier during Christmastime.
KBZ’s Take: There are a few Christmas-themed Body Swap films and this is one of the best ones. Though it only minimally explores Body Swap tropes between a younger man inhabiting an older man’s body (and vice versa), it’s much more focused on the theme of Christmas and redemption throughout the film. It’s a film families can enjoy during Christmas season and has some good life lessons for younger children.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3iv7vkk
#6
Every Day
Plot: 16-year-old Rhiannon falls in love with a mysterious spirit named ‘A’ that inhabits a different body every day. Feeling an unmatched connection, Rhiannon and ‘A’ work each day to find each other, not knowing what the next day will bring.
KBZ’s Take: Technically, this film lives on the border of what would be considered a ‘body swap’ or ‘body switch’ film. Though the spirit inhabits a different body (and personality) each day, the film focuses much more on the romance between ‘A’ and Rhiannon. As a pure Body Swap film, some subgenre fans might not enjoy it, but it is one of the more unique teen drama and romance films.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3ir0HEr
#5
Your Name.
Plot: High schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other.
KBZ’s Take: One of the most popular Anime films released in the past 10 years, Your Name. is also one of the better Body Swap subgenre films. It’s a beautiful film to watch and it uses unique Body Swap themes. Even if you’re not a fan of Anime films, it’s definitely worth checking out for fans and completists of the subgenre.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3udGDrV
Plot: A visit to a natural history museum proves catastrophic for two high school rivals, an overachiever and a jock, when an ancient Aztec statue casts a spell that causes them to switch bodies and see exactly what it’s like to walk in the other’s shoes.
KBZ’s Take: The Body Swap film subgenre seems like a prime target for Raunchy and Sex Comedies given the usual changed body film tropes used. Though there are a few films of the subgenre that go in this R-rated and raunchy direction, It’s a Boy Girl Thing does a delicate balancing act between raunchy comedy and standard teen comedy. What it does well are some very funny sequences where the boy and girl in swapped bodies get revenge on the others (through actions with their new bodies). These are some of the highlights of this film and make it worth seeing.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3OU8cQp
Plot: A teenager who falls from a roof and finds himself in the body of a gangster.
KBZ’s Take: Though a few teen-oriented Body Swap films tackle the bullying issue in school, this film does it the best. What could go wrong for bullies when an overweight teen’s body is suddenly inhabited by a ruthless gangster? This South Korean film touches on quite a few subjects including the bullying issue and the effects of single parenting in the country, and it excels when it focuses on these areas. There are also some very well-done action sequences that make the film hard to define as a Comedy / Drama / Fantasy / Action hybrid. However, it’s one of the lesser known but best films of the subgenre you shouldn’t miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3AZJHeS
Plot: Woo-jin, a furniture designer who wakes up in a different body every day, falls for Yi-soo, a woman he meets through his work.
KBZ’s Take: This is a beautiful film and one of the best romantic dramas you will see. Like Every Day, it straddles the boundaries of Body Swap films as it’s Woo-jin isn’t technically swapping bodies, but waking up as a new person every day. But that theme is one that hasn’t been explored in ways this film excels at. It doesn’t use usual Body Swap film tropes but rather takes a more realistic view of how both the person who has a different body each day would act and how a loved one might perceive him/her. It’s an emotional film so don’t go into this film expecting a Body Swap comedy. The film’s theme is also why we don’t have this ranked as #1 on this list as we wanted to reserve the top spot for a traditional Body Swap film. However, if you’re looking for a unique romantic drama that touches on some Body Swap themes, then move this film to the top of your queue right away.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3ueC7t1
Plot: One messy science journalist (Tash) and a neat television host (Brett). Two very different people whose relationship is nose diving to get the opportunity to experience life in their partners shoes when they wake up one morning in each other’s bodies. Valuable lessons are learned by each as they both must adjust to very different lives.
KBZ’s Take: We’ll be the first to admit this film flew under our radar for quite some time. Though we’re huge fans of Guy Pearce’s films, we somehow missed this one. And that’s why we’re listing it as #1 here – it’s one of his best early performances which shows how he became a Hollywood star.
As for this Australian film, it has a few things going for it. It has unbelievable performances from both Pearce and Claudia Karvan as the man and woman who swap bodies. And we have to say, it’s some of the best dual performances (acting as man and woman) we have seen in any Body Swap film.
Second, it does veer into the Raunchy Comedy side with some very funny scenes that were ahead of their time in the subgenre.
Finally, the film builds its comedy off the heart of the film – two extremely mismatched people who experience the other person’s side and grow from it.
It’s one of the best films of the subgenre and we’re making it our mission to highlight it for more exposure so fans of the subgenre don’t miss out.
Where to Stream / Buy: https://amzn.to/3OVN647
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