The Parent Trap

Hallie Parker (Lohan) is an 11-year-old girl growing up in the Napa Valley with her father, Nicholas "Nick" Parker (Quaid), a successful vineyard owner and a viticulturist. Annie James (also played by Lohan) is a Londoner living with her wedding-gown-designer mother, Elizabeth "Lizzie" James (Natasha Richardson). When the film begins, neither twin knows the other exists, as they were separated as babies when the parents were divorced and each took one child.

By coincidence, Hallie and Annie are both are sent to Camp Walden in Maine for the summer. Rivals at first, the lookalikes soon discover the secret that had been kept from them, and concoct a plan to switch places at the end of the summer camp so they may meet the parent each has never known, and hopefully to eventually reunite their parents. The switch is successful, with Hallie taking Annie's place in London and Annie taking Hallie's place in Napa.

On Annie's side, she learns that their father plans to soon marry his ambitious young publicist, Meredith Blake (Elaine Hendrix), who secretly only wants him for his money. Annie contacts Hallie to update her on the new situation, forcing both girls to speed up their plan to get their parents to meet.

In London, Hallie reveals her true identity to their mother, Elizabeth, and tells her that Nick wants to meet up in a hotel in California. However, as far as Nick is concerned, the weekend getaway at that hotel is only for Annie (as Hallie) to get to know Meredith and Meredith's parents. At that hotel, Nick and Elizabeth cross paths for the first time in twelve years, and all is revealed, including their daughters' plan to reunite them.

Nick and Elizabeth are of the belief that a reunion would be difficult, so they decide to return to their separate homes, each bringing their daughter with them, though visits are to be arranged for Annie to be with Nick and Hallie to be with Elizabeth. Hallie and Annie disapprove of this plan, and insist that Nick take both of them to the promised annual camp by the lake. Nick and Elizabeth go along with this, for the girls have promised to not make a fuss when the camp is over.

Nick, Hallie, Annie and Meredith go for the camping trip. The girls play a series of tricks on Meredith, culminating in an enraged Meredith insisting that Nick choose between her and the girls. Nick chooses the girls, and the engagement is off. The twins are relieved, believing that now their parents are able to reunite, but to their dismay, Elizabeth insists that she and Annie return to London.

As soon as Elizabeth and Annie arrive at their home, they are greeted by Nick and Hallie, who took the Concorde to get there first. Nick declares that he made the mistake of letting her leave before, and he will not do it again. A tearful reunion takes place for the two, and the twins are overjoyed. The final credits feature photographs of the second wedding between Nick and Elizabeth, now with the twins in tow.

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