Movie Review #45 (The Switch)

The Switch (2010) Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston Directed by Gordon & Speck

How many times are we going to ride the “Friends that never realize they should be together” train in the movies? At least with The Switch we get the clever twist of one jealous friend switching his “Man-chowder” with the donor “Man-chowder”…pretty funny. This movie isn’t a work of art, but it is sweet and at times unexpectedly dark. The Switch goes places you may not think it will go, it also goes places we all know it will go…and maybe a bit too often, so I will concede that it is at times a bit generic. The film is funny and I am both a Bateman and Aniston fan so I do tend to root for them. I also can’t help but like Jeff Goldblum, even if he just shows up in films to be Jeff Goldblum, so The Switch is a film I will recommend.

The Switch is story of Kassie (played by a nice Jennifer Anistiony, Jenifer Aniston) a single woman who thinks the time has come for her to have a baby, and it shouldn’t matter that she hasn’t found the right guy yet. Her BFF Wally (played very well by Jason Bateman) thinks differently…probably because he really likes Kassie, but for some strange “goofy movie” reason can’t get himself to tell her. On a night where Kassie is having a “Baby” party he gets wasted, blacks out, and secretly switches the donor “stuff” with his own “stuff”. Kassie moves away and years go by, eventually Kassie moves back and introduces her old friend Wally to her new son Sebastian, now 6 years old (played just like a little Jason Bateman by Thomas Robinson). It becomes pretty clear that this is Wally’s son, at least to Wally and the rest of the movie is really about him churning up the courage to tell Kassie what he did. The best scenes in the film are the ones where Wally and Sebastian are together. They are a spitting image of one and other. The films “tiddy” ending and obvious plot turns are a bit lazy, but if you like Batman and Robinson together, you will like the movie. Juliette Louis and Jeff Goldblum both provide a little comedy and a surprisingly solid performance by the often annoying Patrick Wilson (you know him as the annoying good looking bad guy in well…everything) is charming as well.

(The Shawshank Scale 1-10) It’s not Best Picture Worthy, but The Switch is a sweet and likable comedy that is not going to have you asking for your money back. It gets a very nice 7.0 on the scale as I am feeling generous tonight and I really want to see Jason Bateman do well…so support him and see this film!

Food For Thought: Next up for Bateman is a film called Paul about two geeks who find an Alien and of course in 2012 the Arrested Development movie will arrive! Anistons next is Just Go with It that co stars Adam Sandler and Nicole Kidman.