History Fridge / TheParentTrap

[[AC:FridgeHorror]]
* When the father first sees his ex-wife, his first question is along the lines of "WTF are YOU doing here". Not even a thought about his lost daughter until she appears before him.
** Presumably that would have been the next question if the girls had not shown up.
** No indication that the conversation was going in that direction. He started arguing.
** He probably just assumed that she was still in Boston, and the ex was there for some other reason.
* Who's the judge who signed off on this custody arrangement and what other horrors are they perpetrating upon the defenseless children of dysfunctional couples?

[[AC:FridgeLogic]]
* What kind of camp has an isolation cabin as a punishment? So, kids who misbehave end up having their parents' money wasted for an entire summer without the parents' knowledge? Wouldn't the camp just kick them out and send them home rather than wasting resources on kids who won't be using them?
** It's some old BS about forcing them to come to an understanding so they'll start being nice to each other. It's more FridgeHorror when you think about what would happen if they tried this in an obvious one-sided case of bullying.
*** Who says they would? Also, campers probably only have to stay in the cabin until "the problem is resolved". The twins could have pretended they were still fighting, having themselves restricted for longer and longer, because they needed to spend most of their time together in order to prepare for the switch.
** Forget the interpersonal dynamics: Who in their right mind would "isolate" two pre-teen children alone in a cabin away from all the others with ''no supervision at all''? Most camp cabins have a counselor assigned to each one to handle problems and oversee behavior. One bad accident and it would be lawsuit city.
** For all we know, there could have been supervision in the form of daily check-ups to make sure the girls were keeping the cabin tidy - we just don't see it. And perhaps they did participate in the other camp activities too. We just focus on the girls learning the details about each other because the other stuff isn't important to the plot.

[[AC:FridgeBrilliance]]
* Both girls liking Oreos and peanut butter in the 1998 version seems like a cute and random way to show the girls are alike. Similar twin taste buds, or something the parents used to eat when they were married to each other?
* In the 1998 version, the parents' original wedding montage is set to Nat King Cole's "L.O.V.E." In the finale, their second wedding is set to the song "This Will Be," sung by Natalie Cole, who was Nat King Cole's daughter. It serves as a nice way to symbolize new beginnings and tie the two together.
* In the 1998 version, the sound bite played when Hallie and Martin do the secret handshake is the intro of "Am I the Same Girl" by Dusty Springfield. Further, the lyrics "Why don't you stop and look me over? / Am I the same girl you used to know?”, are also are a part of the song but are omitted from the scene.

* Pictures torn in half, no mention of your other parent, meeting a look-a-like at camp, being shipped halfway across the world--only to discover you've been lied to by EVERYONE. Imagine the therapy sessions (if the movies weren't Disney, that is).
** Towards the end of the remake, the parents are planning a schedule for swapping the daughters so each parent gets to spend time with each daughter. Except for one thing... did it occur to them that the two daughters might like to see ''each other'' and spend time together at some points?!
*** Listen carefully and you'll realize they're talking about different holidays, implying that each girl would be visiting at times when the other girl is home.
** I just wonder how horrified the kids will be when they realize that their own parents know so little about them that they were the last ones to notice the switch.
*** Well, wasn't that the point? They taught each other so much about themselves that they could pass as each other. Hallie is only found out when her grandfather decided to follow her when she goes for an OOC walk immediately after an OOC moment of being able to taste wine as if she grew up on a vineyard. She doesn't really act OOC on any other occasion in front of her mother, so her mother is forgiven. Plus, given she's been away for 8 weeks at a camp, it's easy to explain slight changes in character (especially as she's a teenager). Same goes for Annie. Annie was only found out because she told Chessy. Chessy was suspicious of her, but didn't really honestly believe she was Annie until she said. If both of the girls tried harder, they could've gotten away with it for longer. Their mother only found out when Hallie told her, and her father only found out when he saw both of them.
*** The implication was that Hallie was letting her real persona slip through deliberately to see if her mother would like ''her'', not just her playing Annie. Annie's slip-ups are more attributable to having to unexpectedly deal with the stress of the Meredith situation.
** How much therapy would their mother have had to go through though? Yes, she couldn't control the outcome of the custody agreement, but many mothers have a deep connection with their children, and miss their children to an almost painful level when they're gone for just a few days, much less years, much less ten years. Can you imagine the guilt and emotional and psychological pain that Elizabeth would have gone through after losing Hallie to Nick?
*** Well, by all accounts, that was the agreement they decided on. From what other characters say, it's implied Elizabeth was a bit vindictive when she was younger. She gave up one of her daughters so she'd never have to see Nick again. And if you take note of how she completely falls apart when she finds out Annie is actually Hallie -- and the following drinking binge on the plane -- it's clear she ''hasn't'' had much therapy.
** Interestingly, for all the {{Disneyfication}} American films underwent compared to the [[Literature/LottieAndLisa original book]] and its original German adaptation, they became much more nightmarish in this regard: in the original, nobody at all except the parents themselves knew of the twins (the workers of the summer camp guessed the truth but decided they were not the ones to disclose it), the camp was closer to the twins' homes, and the girls themselves came to terms with the whole situation pretty soon (in fact, for all the mutual vicious pranking in American adaptations there's just a single unanswered kick in the original).
* Try watching this movie in a post-9/11 world. The girls are presumably able to switch passports and tickets to fly as each other to London or California without a hitch. Think of the implications now; how easy would it be for twins to abuse this idea at airports for less innocent purposes?
** Or more likely be found out before even meeting their respective parents.
* In either movie, when the father first sees his ex-wife, his first question is along the lines of "WTF are YOU doing here". Not even a thought about his lost daughter until she appears before him.
*** Presumably that would have been the next question if the girls had not shown up.
*** No indication that the conversation was going in that direction in either movie. He started arguing in the Mills version and spoke about his wedding in the Lohan version.
*** He probably just assumed that she was still in Boston/London, and the ex was there for some other reason.
*** It always seemed to me that he was simply so shocked and overwhelmed by seeing Elizabeth again that he hadn't had a chance to process that before the other twin showed up. Hell when he sees her a second time he falls into the pool. This is his ex-wife who he hasn't seen in 10 years and is quite obviously still in love with... showing up out of the blue only weeks before he's going to be getting married to another woman. Plus it's Maureen O'Hara/Natasha Richardson. In his position I'd probably be thinking 'holy shit she looks phenomenal how did I ever let her go' rather than 'holy shit she's here so maybe Annie is too'

* Meredith could have easily rolled off of the air mattress and fell in the lake and drowned. People can move around a lot in their sleep and if she fell in the water, it wouldn't be much of a stretch for her to be too disoriented to figure out what was going on or be able to figure out which way was up. Hallie and Annie are seriously lucky.
** Which is why they are "punished through the end of the century".

* In the Lindsay Lohan version, it is established that Sammy the dog is far more friendly to Hallie than he is to Annie. So when the parents couldn't tell them apart, why didn't they just bring the dog in and see which girl he ran to?
** Well, maybe to fix that, Hallie would get Sammie friendly with Annie so he liked her when they get back?
** From my limited experience with children, I've learned that when they're being difficult and you're on a deadline, you aren't the most rational person. I'm sure the dog was the last thing Hallie and Annie's parents were thinking about when they had the stress of trying to get one home, the other planning a wedding and them both having to deal with each other for the first time in years.
** I don't think Nick had noticed that the dog didn't like Annie (when she was disguised as Hallie) because Sammy is mostly looked after by Chessy, not Nick, so only Chessy had picked up on Sammy's behavior - and by that point in the film, Chessy wasn't going to suggest it as she's on board with the girls' plan.
** Also, originally, the only reason that Sammy disliked Annie was because she was a stranger. By the time they all ended up at the resort, Annie had probably spent enough time with him to make him warm up to her. Supported by the fact that 'Hal' begged her dad to bring Sammy.
* Why would an English child go to an American summer camp?
** That's not terribly uncommon--the northeastern US is notorious for having a ton of summer camps. A lot of them also recruit counselors in England and other European countries, so it's not unreasonable to assume that kids would come over, too.

** A much simpler answer: Marva and Marva Jr don't exactly seem to be the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree. Something like pushing two prepubescent girls who look like one another and have been playing increasingly ridiculous pranks on each other didn't set off in their minds that it could potentially make the situation worse...so this trope wouldn't trust their judgment, or lack thereof.

** How much therapy would their mother have had to go through though? Yes, she couldn't control the outcome of the custody agreement, but many mothers have a deep connection with their children, and miss their children to an almost painful level when they're gone for just a few days, much less years, much less ten years. Can you imagine the guilt and emotional and psychological pain that Elizabeth would have gone through after loosing Hallie to Nick?
** Well, by all accounts, that was the agreement they decided on. From what other characters say, it's implied Elizabeth was a bit vindictive when she was younger. She gave up one of her daughters so she'd never have to see Nick again. And if you take note of how she completely falls apart when she finds out Annie is actually Hallie -- and the following drinking binge on the plane -- it's clear she ''hasn't'' had much therapy.
** Interestingly, for all the {{Disneyfication}} American films underwent compared to the [[Literature/LottieAndLisa original book]] and its original German adaptation, they became much more nightmarish in this regard: in the original, nobody at all except the parents themselves knew of the twins (the workers of the summer camp guessed the truth but decided they were not the ones to disclose it), the camp was closer to the twins' homes and the girls themselves came to terms with the whole situation pretty soon (in fact, for all the mutual vicious pranking in American adaptations there's just a single unanswered kick in the original).
* Try watching this movie in a post-9/11 world. The girls are presumably able to switch passports and tickets to fly as each other to London or California without a hitch. Think of the implications now--how easy would it be for twins to abuse this idea at airports for less innocent purposes?

* In either movie, when the father first sees his ex-wife his first question is along the lines of "WTF are YOU doing here". Not even a thought about his lost daughter until she appears before him.
** Presumably that would have been the next question if the girls had not shown up.
** No indication that the conversation was going in that direction in either movie. He started arguing in the Mills' version and spoke about his wedding in the Lohan version.
** He probably just assumed that she was still in Boston/London, and the ex was there for some other reason.
** It always seemed to me that he was simply so shocked and overwhelmed by seeing Elizabeth again that he hadn't had a chance to process that before the other twin showed up. Hell when he sees her a second time he falls into the pool. This is his ex-wife who he hasn't seen in 10 years and is quite obviously still in love with... showing up out of the blue only weeks before he's going to be getting married to another woman. Plus it's Maureen O'Hara/Natasha Richardson. In his position I'd probably be thinking 'holy shit she looks phenomenal how did I ever let her go' rather than 'holy shit she's here so maybe Annie is too'

* In the Lindsay Lohan version it is established that Sammy the dog is far more friendly to Hallie than he is to Annie. So when the parents couldn't tell them apart why didn't they just bring the dog in and see which girl he ran to?
** Well, maybe to fix that Hallie would get Sammie friendly with Annie so he liked her when they get back?

** I don't think Nick had noticed that the dog didn't like Annie (when she was disguised as Hallie) because Sammy is mostly looked after by Chessy, not Nick, so only Chessy had picked up on Sammy's behavior and by that point in the film Chessy wasn't going to suggest it as she's on board with the girls' plan.

** For all we know there could have been supervision in the form of daily check-ups to make sure the girls were keeping the cabin tidy - we just don't see it. And perhaps they did participate in the other camp activities too. We just focus on the girls learning the details about each other because the other stuff isn't important to the plot.

** Me in particular couldn't manage to enjoy the movie because I doesn't find it sweet and tender at all, but horrifying. Seriously, what were those selfish parents thinking?!

*** Well, wasn't that the point? They taught each other so much about themselves that they could pass off as each other. Hallie is only found out when her grandfather decided to follow her when she goes for an OOC walk immediately after an OOC moment of being able to taste wine as if she grew up on a vineyard. She doesn't really act OOC on any other occasion in front of her mother, so her mother is forgiven. Plus, given she's been away for 8-weeks at a camp, it's easy to explain slight changes in character (especially as she's a teenager). Same goes for Annie. Annie was only found out because she told Chessy. Chessy was suspicious of her, but didn't really honestly believe she was Annie until she said. If both of the girls tried harder, they could've got away for longer. Their mother only found out when Hallie told her, and her father only found out when he saw both of them.

** How much therapy would their Mother have had to go through though? Yes, she couldn't control the outcome of the custody agreement, but many mothers have a deep connection with their children, and miss their children to an almost painful level when they're gone for just a few days, much less years, much less ten years. Can you imagine the guilt and emotional and psychological pain that Elizabeth would have gone through after loosing Hallie to Nick?
** Well by all accounts, that was the agreement they decided on. From what other characters say, it's implied Elizabeth was a bit vindictive when she was younger. She gave up one of her daughters so she'd never have to see Nick again. And if you take note of how she completely falls apart when she finds out Annie is actually Hallie -- and the following drinking binge on the plane -- it's clear she ''hasn't'' had much therapy.
** Interestingly, for all the {{Disneyfication}} American films underwent compared to the [[Literature/LottieAndLisa original book]] and its original German adaptation, they became much more nightmarish in this regard: in the original, nobody at all except the parents themselves knew of the twins (the workers of the summer camp guessed the truth but decided they were not ones to disclose it), the camp was closer to the twins' homes and the girls themselves came to terms with the whole situtation pretty soon (in fact, for all the mutual vicious pranking in American adaptations there's just a single unanswered kick in the original).

** It always seemed to me that he was simply so shocked and overwhelmed by seeing Elizabeth again that he hadn't had a chance to process that before the other twin showed up. Hell when he see's her a second time he falls into the pool. This is his ex wife who he hasn't seen in 10 years and is quite obviously still in love with... showing up out of the blue only weeks before he's going to be getting married to another woman. Plus it's Maureen O'Hara/Natasha Richardson. In his position I'd probably be thinking 'holy shit she looks phenomenal how did I ever let her go' rather than 'holy shit shes here so maybe Annie is too'
* Who's the judge who signed off on this custody arrangement and what other horrors are they perpetrating upon the defenseless children of disfunctional couples?

** Well, maybe to fix that Hallie would get Sammie friendly with Annie so he liked him when they get back?

** I don't think Nick had noticed that the dog didn't like Annie (when she was disguised as Hallie) because Sammy is mostly looked after by Chessy, not Nick so only Chessy had picked up on Sammy's behavior and by that point in the film Chessy wasn't going to suggest it as she's on board with the girls' plan.

* Why would an English child go to an American Summer Camp?

*** Who says they would? Also, campers probably only have to stay in the cabin until "the problem is resolved". The twins would have pretended they were still fighting, having themselves restricted for longer and longer, because they needed to spend most of their time together in order to prepare for the switch.

** For all we know there could have been supervision in the form of daily check-ups to make sure the girls were keeping the cabin tidy - we just don't see it. And perhaps they did participate in the other camp activities too. We just focus on the girls learning the details about each other because the other stuff isn't important to the plot.

** It always seemed to me that he was simply so shocked and overwhelmed by seeing Elizabeth again that he hadn't had a chance to process that before the other twin showed up. Hell when he see's her a second time he falls into the pool. This is his ex wife who he hasn't seen in 10 years and is quite obviously still in love with... showing up out of the blue only weeks before he's going to be getting married to another woman. Plus it's Natasha Richardson. In his position I'd probably be thinking 'holy shit she looks phenomenal how did I ever let her go' rather than 'holy shit shes here so maybe Annie is too'

** It always seemed to me that he was simply so overwhelmed by seeing Elizabeth again he hadn't hadn't had a chance to process that before the other twin showed up. This is his ex wife who he hasn't seen in 10 years and is quite obviously still in love with... showing up out of the blue only weeks before he's going to be getting married to another woman. Plus it's Natasha Richardson. In his position I'd probably be thiking 'holy shit she looks phenomenal how did I ever let her go' rather than 'holy shit shes here so maybe Annie is too'

*** No indication that the conversation was going in that direction in either movie. He started arguing in the Mills' version and spoke about his wedding in the Lohan version.
*** He probably just assumed that she was still in Boston/London, and the ex was there for some other reason.

** Interestingly, for all the {{Disneyfication}} American films underwent compared to the [[Literature/LottieAndLisa original book]] and its original German adaptation, they became much more nightmarish in this regard: in the original, nobody at all except the parents themselves knew of the twins (the workers of the summer camp guessed the truth but decided they were not ones to disclose it), the camp was closer to the twins' homes and the girls themselves came to terms with the whole situtation pretty soon (in fact, for all the mutual vicious pranking in American adaptations there's a single unanswered kick in the original).

** Interestingly, for all the {{Disneyfication}} American films underwent compared to the [[Literature/LottieAndLisa original book]] and its original German adaptation, they became much more nightmarish in this regard: in the original, nobody at all except the parents themselves knew of the twins (the workers of the summer camp guessed the truth but decided they were not ones to disclose it), the camp itself was closer to the twins' homes and the girls themselves came to terms with the whole situtation pretty soon (in fact, for all the mutual vicious pranking in American adaptations there's a single unanswered kick in the original).

* How much therapy would their Mother have had to go through though? Yes, she couldn't control the outcome of the custody agreement, but many mothers have a deep connection with their children, and miss their children to an almost painful level when they're gone for just a few days, much less years, much less ten years. Can you imagine the guilt and emotional and psychological pain that Elizabeth would have gone through after loosing Hallie to Nick?

** Also, originally, the only reason that Sammy disliked Annie was because she was a stranger. By the time they all ended up at the resort, Annie had probably spent enough time with him to make him warm up to her.

** Forget the interpersonal dynamics: Who in their right mind would "isolate" two pre-teen children alone in a cabin away from all the others with ''no supervision at all''? Most camp cabins have a counselor assigned to each one to handle problems and oversee behavior. One bad accident and it would be lawsuit city.

** This troper in particular couldn't manage to enjoy the movie because she doesn't find it sweet and tender at all, but horrifying. Seriously, what were those selfish parents thinking?!

[[AC:FridgeBrillance]]