The Parent Trap review

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Now that remakes of family films are riding high at the box office (take Dr Dolittle or Flubber), it's hardly surprising the team behind the rehashed Father Of The Bride should turn to this 1961 Hayley Mills hit. Two thousand girls were screen-tested for the task of filling Mills's shoes, with American acting veteran Lindsay Lohan winning the dual role of Hallie and Annie. It was a good choice, with Lohan convincing as English Annie and Californian Hallie.

The plot, which relies heavily on the original, creaks occasionally. What kind of parents would split up their kids on a whim? And what English family still lives with a butler, a grandfather straight out of the Werthers Original advert, and takes tea every day at four o'clock? But it's all part of the fantasy world that co-writers and director and producer Meyers and Shyer wanted to create.

An entertaining remake of the 1961 Disney classic, with a winning lead performance from Lindsay Lohan. It might be a junior chick-flick, but it's got enough action, adventure and genuine laughs to hold the attention of more than its target audience.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.