Like Father Like Son 1987

Fantasy

Comedy

Box Office

$34M

Runtime

96 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Rod Daniel

Made by

TriStar Pictures

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Like Father Like Son Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Like Father Like Son (1987). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Chris Hammond is a high school senior. He likes a girl at school, Lori Beaumont, Camille Cooper who is dating his rival and bully Rick Micah Grant. His father, Dr. Jack Hammond, Dudley Moore is a surgeon who is trying to get promoted to chief of staff at his hospital. Chris has a friend, Clarence “Trigger” Sean Astin, whose Uncle Earl had his leg fixed by Native Americans with a body-switching potion called the “Brain-Transference Serum.” Trigger shows Chris how the serum works by trying it out on Chris’ cat and dog, and the pets switch bodies. Trigger brought the serum in a Tabasco sauce bottle, and the Hammonds’ housekeeper Phyllis, Maxine Stuart puts the bottle in the food cupboard. Jack unwittingly puts some serum in his Bloody Mary. The serum works by someone ingesting it, then the next person that looks into their eyes switches bodies. As Jack looks into his son’s eyes, the father and son switch bodies.

Trigger states that he will get in contact with his Uncle Earl to find a way for the two to switch back, but Earl has just left for another trip. Chris goes to town in his dad’s body, using his dad’s credit card to shop and party with Trigger. He bumps into his dad’s boss’s wife while out in a bar but does not realize who she is. In the morning, Jack in his son’s body and Chris in his father’s body wake up screaming and realize they are not dreaming. Jack goes to school in Chris’s place, while Chris calls in sick at the hospital. Jack’s knowledge of the schoolwork and his willingness to point out troublemakers in class has him shunned by his fellow students. He takes Lori to a concert but does not enjoy himself, finding the music too loud. Then he fails to perform at the big relay race, and Rick beats him up because of the track meet and taking Lori out.

They finally get in touch with Earl, who explains that they can get the antidote if they go on a trip to Death Valley. After a few hiccups, they find the key ingredient for the antidote. Earl makes it up and they drink it; however looking into each other’s eyes does not work immediately. Earl explains it can sometimes take a while to work. The antidote finally works as Jack in Chris’s body is running late for a meeting. Chris in Jack’s body is on his way to a meeting about his dad becoming Chief of Staff, which will not happen now that Jack’s boss found out what Chris did with his wife while in Jack’s body. Now back in their own bodies, both of them race to the hospital.

Chris speaks up at the Chief of Staff meeting to try to persuade the boss to give his dad the job, but his boss will not hear it. Jack walks in and says he does not want the job anymore; he would rather spend the overtime with his son. On the way out, Trigger sees Rick and gives him the Brain-Transference Serum. The next person who looks into Rick’s eyes is Dr. Larry Armbruster. The film ends as they both scream after they switch bodies.

Like Father Like Son Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Like Father Like Son (1987) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

The Brain-Transference Serum is Introduced

In the Hammond household, Trigger reveals a body-swapping serum and demonstrates its power by swapping the minds of his own pets. He explains the mechanism: the serum works after ingestion and the next person who meets eyes with the user switches bodies. The bottle is kept in a Tabasco sauce container and hidden in the food cupboard by Phyllis.

Evening Hammond house

The Switch Triggers When Jack Drinks the Serum

Unwittingly, Jack drinks the serum in his Bloody Mary, setting the plan in motion. He later locks eyes with his son, and the two swap bodies. The morning after, both wake to realize their minds are trapped in each other's bodies.

Morning Hammond house

Wake-Up Call: Realizing They Swapped

The morning after the swap, Jack and Chris wake up screaming, realizing they are not dreaming. They confirm they have swapped bodies and begin to navigate each other’s lives. They vow to find a way to reverse the changes while keeping up with their responsibilities.

Morning Hammond house

Role Reversal: School and Hospital

Jack, in Chris's body, goes to high school hoping to blend in and manage Chris's social life. Chris, in Jack's body, goes to the hospital and immediately faces the unusual duties of being his father’s persona. The day forces them to cope with unfamiliar expectations in two different worlds.

Morning Hammond High School and City General Hospital

School Day Fallout

In Chris's body, Jack uses his father's blunt approach to highlight classroom troublemakers, which earns him suspicion and scorn from peers. He takes Lori to a concert but the overpowering music dissipates the mood. During the relay race, his performance falters, and Rick takes the opportunity to attack him.

Afternoon Hammond High School

Hospital Realities and Ethics

Meanwhile, Chris (in Jack's body) navigates hospital life with Jack's medical knowledge, handing out pills and observing reactions. He seconds a motion proposing that the hospital could treat patients without insurance, exposing Jack's blunt stance. The tension at work grows as colleagues sense something is off.

Day City General Hospital

Call to Uncle Earl

Trigger and the two men finally contact Earl, their only lead to the antidote. Earl explains that reversing the swap will require a trip to Death Valley for a key ingredient. They commit to the journey despite the obstacles.

Day Hammond residence / by phone

Death Valley Quest for the Ingredient

After some misadventures, they embark toward Death Valley to obtain the antidote’s essential component. They locate the ingredient and, with Earl’s help, prepare to brew the antidote. The journey is tense but they persevere.

Day Death Valley

Antidote Ingested; Initial Delay

The antidote is consumed, but the swap does not reverse immediately. Earl explains that the effects can take time to manifest. They wait anxiously, hoping the minds will reconnect soon.

Evening Death Valley

Antidote Works: Back to Their Own Bodies

At last the antidote activates and Jack and Chris revert to their real bodies. They race to a meeting, trying to salvage what they can from the day. The characters must confront the consequences of their actions while returning to normal life.

Evening Death Valley / City General Hospital corridor

Chief of Staff Meeting and Aftermath

Back in their own bodies, they rush to the Chief of Staff meeting, where Chris speaks up to advocate for his father’s promotion. The boss reveals he’s aware of Chris’s misdeeds while in Jack’s body, and he refuses the promotion. Jack declares he would rather spend overtime with his son than pursue the job.

Evening Hospital boardroom

Trigger's Final Twist: Rick Becomes the Catalyst

Trigger hands Rick the Brain-Transference Serum, intending to sow further chaos. The next person who looks into Rick’s eyes is Dr. Larry Armbruster, Jack’s employer, and the two men are shown screaming as their bodies switch. The movie ends on this last, escalating swap.

Night City hospital corridor

Like Father Like Son Characters

Explore all characters from Like Father Like Son (1987). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Chris Hammond

A popular high school senior who pursues Lori while dealing with Rick’s bullying. In the body-swap chaos, he briefly wields his father’s authority, using his dad’s resources to party and test limits. His instincts for independence clash with his responsibilities as a son and potential future adult.

🎭 Drama 🧑‍🎓 Teen 💬 Loyalty

Dr. Jack Hammond

A dedicated surgeon striving for chief of staff, whose professional pride and care for patients collide with his son's reckless behavior during the swap. He learns to see life from his son's perspective, balancing duty with family. His experience in Chris’s body highlights the limits of authority and compassion.

🎭 Drama 🏥 Doctor 🧭 Perspective

Lori Beaumont

The girl Chris/Jack both pursue, whose relationship with Chris becomes complicated when he experiences life in his father’s world. She represents youthful romance and the social stakes of high school dating, including peer pressure and jealousy.

💘 Romance 🏫 School 🤝 Friendship

Rick Anderson

Lori’s boyfriend and the rival who bullies Chris and later confronts the consequences of the prankish romance and social dynamics at stake. His actions catalyze some of the central conflicts in the school setting.

🏆 Rivalry 🥊 Bullying 🗣️ Gossip

Uncle Earl

Trigger’s Uncle Earl, the inventor of the brain-transference serum. He is away on a trip when the need for an antidote arises, catalyzing a quest that takes the duo into Death Valley.

🧪 Science 🗺️ Quest 🧭 Adventure

Dr. Larry Armbruster

Jack’s boss and a key medical authority who becomes skeptical when the switch disrupts professional norms, ultimately highlighting tensions between hospital policy and personal ethics.

🏥 Medical 💼 Authority 🗣️ Ethics

Like Father Like Son Settings

Learn where and when Like Father Like Son (1987) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Location

Hammond household, School, Hospital, Death Valley, Desert Diner

The Hammond household serves as the central home base where the Brain-Transference Serum is first introduced and daily family life unfolds. Key scenes unfold in the school and hospital, illustrating the distinct environments Chris and Jack navigate. Death Valley provides the rugged, pivotal quest for the antidote, while Desert Diner offers a relatable stop for interactions outside the medical and academic settings.

🏠 Home 🏫 School 🏥 Hospital 🏜 Desert

Like Father Like Son Themes

Discover the main themes in Like Father Like Son (1987). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🔄

Identity

The body-swap premise forces Chris and Jack to walk in each other’s shoes, revealing how appearance shapes perception. As they swap places, they learn about the other’s daily pressures, responsibilities, and limitations. The swapping creates humorous misunderstandings but also deepens empathy between father and son. The theme underscores how identity is tied to actions, not just appearance.

👨‍👦

Family

The switch strains their relationship but ultimately strengthens their bond as they recognize what the other endures. Jack learns to value quality time with his son beyond career ambitions, while Chris sees the weight of his father’s responsibilities. The resolution centers on choosing family over status. Together they realize that support and understanding matter more than winning approval.

💊

Consequences

The serum’s power comes with unpredictable outcomes that ripple through hospital, school, and home life. The pursuit of an antidote creates urgency and danger, forcing quick, risky decisions. The ending reveals how one rash act can alter careers and lives, prompting a reconsideration of priorities. The threat of a new body swap remains a warning about unintended consequences.

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Like Father Like Son Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Like Father Like Son (1987). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In a world where the pressures of a high‑powered career collide with the turbulence of teenage life, the film opens on a bustling suburban community that feels both familiar and slightly exaggerated. The tone balances sharp, witty humor with genuine heart, letting everyday moments—school corridors, hospital halls, late‑night drinks—glimmer with the possibility of absurd mishap. The visual style leans into bright, kinetic comedy, letting the audience feel the frantic rhythm of two very different worlds brushing up against each other.

Work‑obsessed Dr. Jack Hammond spends his days chasing a promotion that could crown him chief of staff at the local hospital, his identity wrapped tightly around a white coat, a credit‑card that opens doors, and a polished reputation he’s keen to protect. At home, his son, Chris, is a high‑school senior navigating the classic trials of adolescence: a crush on the captivating Lori Beaumont, a rivalry with the school bully, and a friendship that keeps him grounded despite his dad’s constant absence. The contrast between Jack’s methodical, responsibility‑driven existence and Chris’s impulsive, free‑spirited energy sets up a natural tension that fuels much of the film’s comedy.

The inciting incident arrives in the form of an odd‑looking bottle of brain‑exchange serum, a relic of folklore that promises to blur the line between mind and body. A careless sip and a lingering glance trigger an unexpected switch, leaving Jack trapped in his son’s lanky frame and Chris forced to inhabit his father’s authoritative presence. Suddenly, the surgeon must navigate lockers, cafeteria politics, and a fake ID, while the teen finds himself scrambling to handle clinic duties, a sleek Jag, and the weight of adult expectations. The premise teases a cascade of comedic chaos as each tries to perform in a life that feels alien yet oddly familiar.

This body‑swap set‑up promises more than slapstick; it invites both characters—and the audience—to walk a mile in the other’s shoes, exposing hidden pressures, misunderstood motives, and the little moments that define family. The film’s playful tone suggests that while the mishaps may be outrageous, the deeper payoff lies in the surprising empathy that blossoms when two generations finally see each other’s world.

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