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There's no doubt that Lindsay Lohan is a great actress. And if it wasn't for her mistreatment in the early 2000s, maybe we wouldn't have had a gap between now and when she had to step back from acting.
Lohan's acting debut in 1998's "The Parent Trap" is proof enough of her talent.
"The Parent Trap" was released by Walt Disney Studios and was actually a remake of a 1961 film of the same name. Both were adapted from a German novel "Lisa and Lottie."
The movie follows Hallie Parker and Annie James (both portrayed by Lohan), twins who were separated at birth when their parents, Nick Parker (Dennis Quaid) and Elizabeth James (Natasha Richardson), divorced.
Hallie grew up with her father in the Napa Valley and Annie grew up in London with her mother, a popular wedding gown designer.
At eleven, the pair first meet at a summer camp in Maine. At first, they ignore their obvious similarities and are immediate rivals. But, after a prank gone wrong, the pair are soon forced into the isolation cabin for the rest of the summer. (Side note: I don't think fully isolating two kids in the forest is a good idea. But hey, it was the 90s.)
The pair eventually discover that they're twins and hatch a plan to each meet the parent they've never known.
Of course, in typical Disney fashion, shenanigans ensue almost immediately. While Hallie is having the time of her life with her mom in London, Annie is dealing with much bigger problems. What is that exactly? Why, her father's 26-year-old fiancee Meredith Blake (Elaine Hendrix), who is seriously derailing she and her sister's plot to reunite their mom and dad.
Lohan, of course, proved to be a formidable actress in her breakout role. At just 11 years old she was able to balance playing two characters, with different personality traits and accents, without missing a beat. It was no wonder she would become one of the biggest names in the 2000s.
Credit where credit is due though, Lohan didn't always do it alone. In scenes where the twins were together, Erin Mackey served as Lohan's double. And, no matter how hard I try to figure it out, I really can't pick who isn't the real Lohan in those scenes.
Overall, "The Parent Trap" truly is a classic movie with a great storyline and sweet romance. The will-they-won't-they between Nick and Elizabeth really is fun to watch. You can tell from the get-go that neither truly got over the other one. And thanks to their meddling daughters, they have to look each other in the face to deal with it.
Elizabeth in particular was extremely funny. The scene where it hits her that she's actually going to see Nick after 11 years is truly priceless. And I think we've all felt that level of manic, anxiety fueled energy either for someone or about something.
Props to Hendrix too. Meredith Blake is truly an iconic character, and one I don't whole heartedly see as a villain. I don't fault her for deciding she wanted to marry rich. Because at the very least she found a decent guy in Nick. However, the line is drawn in her hatred of Hallie/Annie.
Listen, I respect when a woman doesn't want to have kids for whatever reason that may be. But, when the kids already exist? Sorry honey, you either have to deal or leave.
So, if you're looking for a fun, light hearted and family-friendly movie, look no further than "The Parent Trap." It's rated PG and can be watched on YouTube, Vudu, Google Play, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Disney+.
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Laura Jameson is Managing Editor of The Express.