Adults are often torn between family time and more adult-oriented adventures. Hollywood has simplified that choice for movie-goers this weekend; it’s either one or the other.

This weekend’s most family-friendly offering, 17 Again, explores the complex relationship between a father and his teenage children in a way that fans of movies like Freaky Friday and 13 Going on 30 should appreciate. The film follows Mike O'Donnell, played by Matthew Perry (Friends), a man whose dead-end job, failing marriage and strained relationship with his teenage children leave him longing his high school glory days. Through a mysterious series of events, Mike is transformed into his 17-year-old self, played by High School Musical’s Zac Efron, and he is given the opportunity to interact with his kids, Maggie and Alex, played by Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl) and Sterling Knight (Sonny with a Chance), on their level. (Check out our interview with the film's stars to see what they would do differently if they could go back to 17.) In the process he realizes that he’s been a less-than-stellar father to them and that he really has had the perfect life all along. While the film may incorporate many well-known Hollywood tropes, its creators hope its light-hearted nature and young star power will help it stand out from the pack this weekend.

Those in the mood for grown-up action over family-centered fun should line up for Crank: High Voltage. This sequel picks up where 2006’s Crank left off, revolving around English hit man Chev Chelios, played by action-veteran Jason Statham (The Transporter, Snatch).  In this installment, Chelios has been kidnapped by a gang of Chinese medics who attempt to steal his organs. Chev wakes up and dispatches the medics mid-way through the procedure, leaving him with an electronic temporary heart in his chest. This makes it so that he has to stop periodically in his pursuit of his missing organ to electrocute himself, recharging his battery and keeping him alive. While the premise is fairly ridiculous, both Statham and the original Crank are extremely popular with audiences and the film promises lots of action for fans of the genre.

For a more thought-provoking thriller, head for State of Play, which also opens this weekend. In this big-screen adaptation of a British mini-series, Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Proof of Life) plays a journalist who’s looking into the death of a woman who was having an affair with an up-and-coming young Congressman, played by Ben Affleck (Armageddon, Pearl Harbor). As he begins investigating seemingly unrelated deaths, Crowe’s character stumbles upon a deeper plot and begins to question exactly whom in his life he can trust. The film is definitely the most star-studded opener this weekend, with Hollywood veterans Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright Penn, Rachel McAdams, and Jeff Daniels all playing supporting roles.

Finally, for a not so family-friendly look at parenthood, check out American Violet, which opens in limited release this weekend. The film has generated some buzz already and tells the story of a 24-year-old single mother of four in a small town in Texas, who is falsely arrested on drug charges. The woman, played by newcomer Nicole Beharie, is faced with the difficult decision whether to plead guilty to a crime she did not commit in order to return to her children sooner. If she fights the charges, she'll delay her family’s reunion, possibly losing custody in the process. The film offers an unflinching look at the American justice system and the choices mothers must make for the welfare of their families, which the filmmakers hope will resonate with audiences.  

—John Bavoso