The Switch (2010)

THE SWITCH is another story about artificial insemination and the impact it has on the participants. Yes, it has been done many times with varying results, but what makes this version of the story different and worthy of merit and attention is the sparkling screenplay by Allan Loeb adapted from the short story 'Baster' by gifted author Jeffrey Eugenides ('Middlesex', 'The Virgin Suicides', 'My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead', and short stories 'The Speed of Sperm', 'Air Mail', 'Ancient Myths', etc). It is a film that gives us the opportunity to remember the fine comic time of Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Juliet Lewis, courtesy of the fine direction by Josh Gordon and Will Speck..

Wally Mars (Jason Bateman) is an oddly neurotic character who has a very difficult time connecting to people, especially in the dating department. His best friend is Kassie Larson (Jennifer Aniston) a successful woman who abruptly decides her biologic clock is ticking down and decides to have a baby by paying a sperm donor. Wally is shocked, but Kassie's other best friend Debbie (Juliette Lewis, bubbling brilliantly) supports her conviction to take charge of her life and plans a party to celebrate Kassie's incipient 'donation'. Kassie selects a potential donor in Roland (Patrick Wilson) who is a square and married teacher but 'needs the money'. At the party when the 'donation' is to be deposited, Wally gets drunk and accidentally spills Roland's 'contribution', and in drunken desperation replaces it with his own - a secret he doesn't even share with Leonard (Jeff Goldblum) with whom he works and has a strong friendship. The inseminated Kassie moves back home, returning seven years later with her six-year old son Sebastian (Thomas Robinson, a very fine child actor). Kassie courts the now divorced Roland, a blow to Wally who in his 'babysitting' chores grows close to Sebastian who is very much like Wally. How the story ends is predictable but heartwarmingly humorous, especially watching the relationship between Wally and Sebastian develop.

In addition to the strong cast of leading actors there are cameos by Kelli Barrett and especially the significantly impressive Scott Elrod (watch this young actor's career blossom!). Largely due to the smart dialogue delivered by specialists in comedy, this film works well.

Grady Harp

Fmovies: The Switch (2010)

Okay, it would be easy to dis this movie as a canned, obvious, emotionally thin contrivance. It's a vehicle for two popular stars playing characters in their 30s who are, despite good looks and basic social skills, single and childless. They have to fall in love but life gets in the way in kind of stupid ways. You can't take it seriously, and you can't even quite care enough to hope for the best, whatever that is.

But it's also easy to like this movie despite its obviousness. Jason Bateman is a joy to watch. Maybe his performance is like the movie--glib and facile. But like the movie he is endlessly watchable, and his character is the one with the most depth. His interactions with the boy of six or so are terrific. The boy, too, is adorable and helps the movie get some feeling.

Jennifer Aniston plays the woman who wants a child but has no one willing to be the dad, more or less (though the viewer knows better). And she's a terrific actress, actually, even if her role here (and elsewhere) is often not as demanding as it could be. I suppose Meg Ryan has some kind of edge on her for this kind of stereotype--the lovable lonely urban girl who just can't get love right despite the obvious--but Aniston is an update on that type.

But it is Aniston and Bateman together that really make the movie glide along and make you smile. They have great rapport and good timing, comedic and serious both. I wouldn't say they have chemistry (I guess that's the problem their characters have, so maybe it's great acting) but they make their scenes pop in a way the rest of the movie trundles.

The story writer, Jeffrey Eugenides, is better known for sprawling novels and lots of interrelated characters, but even there there are little hooks that come off a hair obvious. That's the problem here, in the end. There's a big trick, a wonderful and funny hook of an idea, and that almost alone has to handle all the consequences. Some better character development would have been a joy.

Oh, and it's been a long time since a movie with two directors has been able to pull off consistency. I don't know the logistics behind it, but maybe one of the hesitations all along is a lack of singular conviction. Or not. Maybe this is such a formula product any number of directors could have chipped in.

Watch it for the two leads together. And for some fun, warm laughs, if that's your thing. I enjoyed it.

What a strong cast for such an average film. Having the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Jeff Goldblum is a headstart on almost any romcom, but I felt that none of them were the right casting choice for their respective role. Aniston was the only one who felt like she belonged, but like any romcom, a love interest is required and Bateman fell flat. Both Aniston and Bateman performed great, but the lack of chemistry was palpable. The funniest thing about this film was how poorly Goldblum fit into his role. He essentially plays the low-screen time advice friend to consult Bateman's character, yet he maintains Goldblum's "larger than life" persona. I am not typically crazy about romcoms and this one lands right at the median for them in my opinion.

The Switch fmovies. well, I rented this film only because it was the only one that I hadn't see from redbox. I usually do not like Jennifer Aniston in anything but the TV show Friends, and quite honestly she wasn't great but she certainly did not 'sneeze on the buffet'. It was Jason Bateman that really carried this film. He's a very under-rated actor. The film is about friend of the opposite sex, with one, the male of course, having more feelings than the other. When he finds out that she wants to have a baby and is looking for the perfect man for his sperm, he's hurt cause she didn't pick him. The film really explores parenthood in the modern age and also dynamics of friends, and even fatherhood. It's a comedy, but it has many dramatic and poignant elements to it. I'd recommend it.

To those of you who disliked this movie or "thought it sucked" - as do you...it was a typical romantic comedy..they're meant to be cheesy...i laughed, i cried...honestly i have to say i liked it a lot...almost a love..have an open mind people..you can only do the same movie so many times before people get sick of it...this was NOT one of those same ol' romantic comedies...jen aniston was perfect as was bateman...gotta love the kid hes too cute for words...all of them were perfect for the role they played, the boy especially..thomas robinson may be one of the cutest and most well spoken child actors i have ever seen in a movie or on TV in my life...

"The Switch" is like a romantic comedy, except better because it gives you everything you want: romance and comedy with a story and characters. They buck the trend to make the romantic elements absurd and instead shower us with comedy and very little sap.

Jennifer Aniston is just a cute girl that the audience can accept as a character, but Jason Bateman is everything you want in a leading man. Very good looking but not in a typical way, plays up neurotic with aplomb, and is hilarious all the way through. We easily fall in love with him from beginning to end.

"The Switch" actually gives us a story, one where our hero has to evolve and mature as he realizes and understands the value that Aniston and her son bring to his life. Again, Jason Bateman is the kind of man that we have been waiting for in romantic comedies, because he actually has the talent to portray all of that, and do it with comedy. A romantic comedy that is cute, funny, romantic, mature and where you actually welcome the story line - what more could you ask for?