Review: The Switch
First thing’s first: reviewers seem to have missed the fact that The Switch is just a rom-com dressed up in grownup clothing. As such, it’s going to act like one, coming to an entirely predictable conclusion if you know the genre at all. So no trying to palm it off as anything else, okay?
That said, the grown-up feel of the movie is exactly what sets it apart from other rom-coms, and the excellent execution allows a certain amount of (dare I say it) suspense — who woulda thunk the movie’s directors, who started out with the excellent but very silly Blades of Glory, would grow up into such sensitive guys?
An inauspicious beginning....
Perhaps I’m showing my age, but I prefer characters who are confused screw-ups muddling through life. Jason Bateman’s Wally, long-time friend to Kassie (Jennifer Aniston), is just such a screw-up. Kassie, too, has given up on finding the perfect man, so she finds a too-to-be-true sperm donor (Patrick Wilson) instead. Kassie gets pregnant — but of course, as even the trailers give away, a drunk Wally has “hijacked the pregnancy.” Cut to seven years later, when Kassie moves back to the city with her kid and hijinx ensue.
I hate to say it, but I agree with the critics on this one: Jason Bateman makes the film. Wally is a neurotic, childish jackass, and it takes considerable talent to make him likable. Or maybe it’s just Bateman’s irresistably crinkly blue eyes on the big screen. I don’t know, but I do know he’s ridiculously adorable. (Side note, during the movie I kept thinking what an awesome blue-eyed baby he and Jennifer Aniston would make in real life. Too bad he’s married.) And look, I could get into the gender ramifications of a pregnancy movie revolving entirely around the guy, but I liked this movie too much to do so.
Seriously, she's just as cute as he is.
Aniston deserves credit too, though she’s obviously never going to get it from anyone. Her performances in this movie and The Break Up require subtlety to make the story work; after all, if Kassie were just a superficial moron we wouldn’t care about her either. The cardinal rule of rom-coms is that you have to want the couple to get together, and we certainly do — and not just for “family values” reasons, either.
The movie also fulfills the remaining conditions for rom-com greatness: stellar supporting cast and great scenery and clothing. Jeff Goldblum is clearly enjoying a renaissance of late, and his turn as Wally’s co-worker Leonard helps leaven the movie considerably. Juliette Lewis, amusing as always, plays Kassie’s wacky best friend Debbie. Patrick Wilson makes the sperm donor (who returns to compete for Kassie’s affections) believably attractive, yet desperate in his own way. And the kid (Thomas Robinson) is only slightly too precious for his role, so he distracts as little as possible from the actual, interesting grownup material. Finally, the understated shots of New York were just as pleasant to look at as the nice clothes.
Awwwwww.
Look, if you want a by-the-numbers rom-com, this is not it. Neither is it a raunchy, laugh-a-minute Judd Apatow flick, or even as harmlessly raucous as Blades of Glory. So don’t see it if that’s all the subtlety you can handle. The Switch is based on Jeffrey Eugenides’ short story, “The Baster,” and believe it or not, I think the movie captures something of the literary pacing. So if you have the patience to appreciate an old-fashioned, character driven story, and a good tolerance for Office/Breakup-style moments of discomfort, you’ll probably enjoy this movie.