The Switch blends a potent mix of family, friendship, and emotions. Unfortunately this film is being sold as a laugh out loud romantic comedy – so something is awry. Can you deal with accidental artificial insemination between lifelong friends and keep a light hearted whimsical comedy afloat? One thing’s for sure, you’ll never look at Diane Sawyer the same way again.
Jennifer Aniston (The Good Girl) returns to the screen as Kassie Larsen, a 40+ year old New York City single gal with a thriving career, financial stability and a deep longing to be a Mommy. Sidling her is Wally (Jason Bateman – Dodgeball), her neurotic best friend with a less than optimistic view of life. With no man of a romantic nature in her life, Kassie decides that insemination is her only way to procreate. Wally, in a drunken haze, swaps his ‘male ingredients’ prior to inception and essentially hijacks her pregnancy. Seven years later, Kassie returns to New York with her son Sebastian who seemingly shares the same phobia’s and nuance’s that drive Wally’s neurosis. Since Wally has no memory of the night of his misdeed, he dismisses the similarities and instead focuses on Kassie’s budding new relationship with Roland (Patrick Wilson – Lakeview Terrace), a recent divorcee on the rebound who years earlier donated his sperm to Kassie. Wally begins to shed his pessimistic ideology through the relationship with Sebastian, and opens himself to the possibilities of life. As their growth progresses, Wally discovers his true feelings for Kassie and the mind jarring recall of his ‘swap’ seven years ago.
The film is truly endearing and works so much better as a romantic drama. Sure it has splashes of laughs, every relational comedic effort does, but the subject matter is too serious to be funny. A stolen insemination, a rebound relationship with a character that appears to be suppressing some major rage issues – the subject matter is tense. Watching Roland, you get the feeling his terse suppression of feelings is going to manifest itself in a ‘postal’ way. The softer side is the familial growth by Wally & Sebastian. You want Wally to come out of his shell, you relish in the scenes where Sebastian and Wally unknowingly mimic each other’s habits, and how each uses the other to become a more outward soul – their camaraderie really feels good. The same can’t be said for Kassie’s rebound relationship with Roland. Jilted by his ex-wife due to sexual indiscretions on her part, obvious anger smoldering under the surface, it’s unbelievable that Kassie would be in a relationship with someone like this and it was uncomfortable to watch his character as ‘curve balls’ in the form of Wally’s eventual confessed love, realization that he is not Sebastian’s biological father, and the obvious embarrassment of an attempted proposal to Kassie squashed by Wally. With subject matter this entwined in a trio of complicated lives, it’s no surprise this film comes from the producers of Juno & Little Miss Sunshine (both excellently written and executed dramas)
Serving as Wally’s confidant and moral compass is Leonard, Wally’s boss and a three-time divorcee serving up advice with the dexterity and aloofness only Jeff Goldblum could deliver. Slightly smug, a bit oblivious, and solid in delivery, he delivers once again. Kassie’s BFF counterpart Debbie (Juliette Lewis – Strange Days) is aptly portrayed. No stranger to oddball roles, Lewis seems out of place in this supporting role. I’ve grown accustomed to her portraying drugged out teens, coke’d up musicians, and even a serial killer – something as subdued as a supportive best friend just looks strange. I confess, I’ve had a school boy crush on her since 1993’s Kalifornia, so it was good to see her on screen again.
The Switch does a solid job of showing you the eccentricities of life in bustling New York City, it even manages to make you care about its lead characters and the growth paths they take – what it doesn’t do is make you comfortable laughing throughout the film at the comic bits when the film is laced with such dramatic undertones and moments of awkward awakenings. Aniston and Bateman’s chemistry is totally believable and it was refreshing to see her looks played down as not to overshadow the film. Newcomer Thomas Robinson (Sebastian) should be lauded for his performance – he executed in a believable and aesthetically pleasing manner. His performance complemented Bateman flawlessly and watching the two on screen was complete joy.
On a final note – if Aniston’s character was 40+ at the time of insemination, and Wally circles back to her 7 years later, just how old is she? Apparently 50…and fabulous!
Rating: 
The Switch is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual material including dialogue, some nudity, drug use and language.
At first I thougth you were too harsh, now I just saw the weekend box office.