Remaking classic films is almost always a bad idea. Attempts by the best of directors have continually failed. It makes the track record of husband and wife team Charles Shyer and Nancy Meyers something just short of miraculous, having made three out of three good remakes. Their first two, Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride, Part II, were fine entertainment and arguably improved upon the original films. Their version of The Parent Trap, this time directed by Meyers instead of Shyer (though both had a hand) matches the Disney version (though is not as memorable) and is different enough to justify its existence.

The success is largely thanks to Lindsay Lohan, the young actress who plays the twins. It's not easy to follow in Hayley Mills' footsteps, but Lohan has every bit of Mills' screen charisma. She's a natural in front of the camera. Her performances are so believable and entertaining, one forgets to watch for flaws in the special effects that allow her to appear on the screen as two separate characters. (When I did watch for that, I couldn't find any -- the special effects aren't just good, they're so natural as to be invisible.) Those looking for a pleasant, touching comedy need look no further.