Wish Upon a Star (1996)

A younger sister wishes to switch places with her popular older sister and the two bickering siblings awaken to find the wish has come true.

Director:

Blair Treu

Writer:

Jessica Barondes

Stars:

Katherine Heigl, Danielle Harris, Donnie Jeffcoat

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Katherine Heigl	...	Alexia Wheaton
Danielle Harris	...	Hayley Wheaton
Donnie Jeffcoat	...	Kyle Harding
Scott Wilkinson	...	Ben Wheaton
Mary Parker Williams	...	Nan Wheaton
Lois Chiles	...	Mittermonster
Ivey Lloyd	...	Caitlin Sheinbaum
Matthew Barker	...	Simon (as Matt Barker)
Jacque Gray	...	Kazumi
Kari White	...	Talley (as Kari Petersen)
January Sorensen	...	Sabrina
Dane Stevens	...	Mr. Frauenfleder (as Duane V. Stephens)
Mark Hofeling	...	Mr. Watson
Trevor Black	...	Photographer
Emily Klindt	...	Senior Class President

Storyline

Handsome, considerate high-school jock Kyle Harding is the only taste the Wheaton sisters share. Tall, fashionable, popular airhead big sister is dating him, but fails to truly appreciate the young gentleman, let alone contemplate a serious relationship. Nerdy kid sister Haley hates the waste and expresses her envy by thoughtlessly wishing at a 'shooting star' (comet) to be Alexia. To their stupor, that happens the next morning. Forced to live each-other's lives, but unable to do it well by the other's standards, the sisters soon hate each-other even more and deliberately screw up. Gradually, they realize they would only both lose out, learn to appreciate the other's values and reconsider their own. Remain the matters of obviously utterly confused Kyle, and new neighbor boy Simon, whose no longer secret crush on Haley was confounded by Alexia.

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Plot Keywords:

comet | airhead | shooting star | wish | tall | 

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Taglines:

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might, Become My Sister For A Night!

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and mild sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wish Upon a Star

Filming Locations:

Hunter High School, 4200 S 5600 W, West Valley City, Utah, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Leucadia Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Danielle Harris was quite nervous about shooting the table-dance scene (which actually doesn't appear in most TV versions), so she asked if she could choose the people who are sitting at the table. She picked the boys who would be most uncomfortable watching her as to make herself more comfortable while performing.

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Goofs

When Alexia (as Haley) is grabbing the boombox before school, it has two tape decks, but when she uses the boombox at school, it only has one tape deck.

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Quotes

Alexia Wheaton: It's an abrasive product used to scrub away sink residue.

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Alternate Versions

The following scenes were removed for pacing reasons:

• The guys to whom Alex says "hi guys" in the gym had bigger roles. They originally followed Alex around a lot, and this frazzled Hayley's nerves when she was in Alex's body.
• A scene where Hayley practices her speech for the convention in front of Alex, which illustrates Hayley's nervous demeanor about public speaking, and Alex's discomfort with her lack of math skills.
• Numerous shots of the parents eavesdropping, seeing how their daughters' "progress" was coming along.
• A scene near the end where "Mittermonster" pads down a number of beauty contestants before they enter the stage.

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Soundtracks

Things You Do
Music and Lyrics by Hermann Skibbe
Courtesy of APM Music

User Reviews

Excellent

The first time I saw this was on the Disney Channel when I was laying on the couch, got sick at school so I had to leave, and this movie came on...it was the most random thing...but I decided to sit and watch it, since everyone else was also being pulled in by it. This was where I first recognized Danielle Harris as an adorable and talented actress...I fell in love with Hayley...I say to myself, "I'd ask her out. Who cares about the dirt under her fingernails or her gum chewing." I also first recognized the talent of Katherine Heigl in this film. I was certainly impressed with her. I loved how the filmmakers accentuate the differences between the two girls by using the difference in height, music interest, academic performance, and other obvious things. The cast overall did a wonderful job...there were some cheesy moments, but that's pretty much a given, aside from that...good story, wonderful performances (I liked the parents, as well; I even asked my parents if they'd try the "hands off" method, lol), and some good music (which I can't find, why can't I find this music?). This film is perfect for the family to sit down, watch and enjoy (and I rarely have good things to say about family-friendly films). 9.2 out of 10.