Two sets of twins switched at birth in Colombia in 1988. It took 25 years—and a chance sighting at a butcher shop—to uncover the mix-up.
My colleague Rob Kelly ranked “The Accidental Twins” #4 on his list of Documentaries Like “Three Identical Strangers”.
Trailer for “The Accidental Twins”
You Can’t Make This Sh!t Up
- In 1988, a Bogotá hospital accidentally swapped one baby from each set of identical twins. Both families went home with a boy who wasn’t theirs.
- The mix-up went unnoticed for 25 years—until a woman spotted a butcher who looked EXACTLY like her coworker. Same face. Different guy!
- When the four men finally met, they learned their real twins had grown up worlds apart—one in Bogotá, the other in rural Colombia.
Watch “The Accidental Twins”
You can watch “The Accidental Twins” on Netflix.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 91/100
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 92/100 (Users); 91/100 (Critics)
Director’s Note: Alessandro Angulo directed this 84-minute Netflix documentary. He also co-wrote it with Diego Chalela.
Release Date: June 20, 2024 (Netflix)
Other Unique Stuff
- The brothers had to learn not only about their biological twins but also about an entirely new extended family.
- The documentary focuses on the emotional aftermath of the discovery, not just the hospital error itself. Learning the truth was only the start of their story.
Wrap Up:
“The Accidental Twins” has one of the wildest real-life mix-ups I’ve seen, but it’s the bond between the four brothers that makes it worth your 84 minutes.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc