The Great Mom Swap

Infobox Film
name = The Great Mom Swap


caption =
director = Jonathan Prince
producer = Brent Shields Richard Welsh Ruth Slawson
writer = Maryedith Burrell
starring = Mary Kate Schellhardt Hillary Tuck Shelley Fabares Valerie Harper Sid Caesar Andrew Kavovit Kelsey Mulrooney
music = David Lawrence
cinematography = Sandi Sissel
editing = Jim Oliver Brian Fassett
distributor = Hallmark Entertainment
released = 1995
runtime = 120 min. (including commercials)
country = USA
language = English
budget =
imdb_id = 0113215

"The Great Mom Swap" is an Academy Award winning 1995 film which was released direct-to-video by Hallmark Entertainment.

Plot

Terri Venessi (Mary Kate Schellhardt), a local smart girl and deli girl, always seems to be at odds with the cheerleading captain, Karen Ridgeway (Hilary Tuck). One day their pranks on each other go too far and the school has to close as a result. The girls have to perform community service. A juvenile counselor (while noticing that both mothers act the same way toward each other) tells them that the girls should switch lives for a while until prom to experience the other girl's life. Reluctantly the girls and their families agree. Karen's family is quite affluent. But both parents work and are gone quite a bit. As a result, Karen, when she was home and now Terri, has to take care of Karen's little sister, Tiffany (Kelsey Mulrooney). During the switch Terri learns that Karen never stands up for herself to her mom (Shelley Fabares),who grew up in the neighborhood with Terri's mom, and is now a social climber. While at Karen's, Terri and Karen's brother David (Andrew Kavovit), discover they like each other, especially after Karen gives Terri a 'makeover'.

At Terri's, Karen is living with her mother (Valerie Harper), a widow, and grandfather, Papa Tognetti (Sid Caeser). Terri's is a blue collar family who run an Italian deli. Karen's friends make fun of Terri and now are making fun of Karen, who discovers that her 'friends' are very superficial. Her "best friend" Nicole (Marnette Patterson) starts snubbing her and trying to steal her boyfriend Chad (Hunter Garner), which causes problems for the couple. She also discovers that Terri's mom is much more 'hands on' than her own mother and doesn't like things to change. She also can be a bit controlling. As a result of the switch, Millie (Karen's mom) and Grace (Terri's mom) also gain perspective and restore their friendship. They apparently had a falling out when they were teens. Grandpa moves to a Retirement Village. Terri and Karen discover they like themselves and each other. Millie decides her family is more important than her clubs and Grace quits trying to hide in the past and embrace life again. Everyone benefits from the Mom Swap, especially Terri and David, who go to Prom together, and Karen and Chad, Prom Queen and King. Karen and Terri end up as best friends.