The Switch (Miramax Films)
Back Up Plan 2
When the new Jennifer Aniston/Jason Bateman movie The Switch starts out it seems it is going to be The Back Up Plan 2. There are certainly similarities with the Jennifer Lopez starrer of earlier this year. But once this new movie gets away from being about Anistons character and focuses on being about Batemans character then all similarities end. Aniston ends up being a supporting character in a film that explores the life and times of Batemans.
Kassie (Aniston) is a young woman, living in New York City, who feels her biological clock ticking. She stresses this to her best friend Wally (Bateman) when she tells him she has decided to go with a sperm donor in order to have a child. She rejects Wally as being the donor because he is her best friend and that would be kind of creepy. She ends up choosing Roland (Patrick Wilson) who is blue eyed and bland.
SPOILER ALERT BUT ALL THAT FOLLOWS IS IN THE TRAILER: In what is the creepiest part of the film Kassies best friend Debbie (Juliette Lewis) throws her an insemination party. Wally attends and quickly gets drunk. Then he discovers the sperm container and switches his sperm for Rolands. After the party Kassie gets pregnant and moves back home to the Midwest. Seven years later she returns to New York with son Sebastian (Thomas Robinson) in tow. The rest of the movie is basically about Wally and Sebastian.
Aniston is a talented actress but she never gets the roles that give her attention. In this one she is the best friend/girlfriend/mother. She isnt the star of the movie, Bateman is. He plays the focal role and totally carries the movie. He gets able assistance from the ultra talented Mr. Robinson but Jennifer is just window dressing.
This is a great role for Bateman as he gets to show both his romantic and his comedic sides. As for taking his side in everything that ensues in the movie, well he has us at hello. He is so endearing and puppy dog cute that audiences warm up to him instantly.
Robinson plays the role of the precocious Sebastian to perfection. He is so unique and so winning that you watch every scene in which he and Wally bond with a tear in your eye and a lump in your throat. Should I remind you this is a movie for fathers and sons to see together
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and adult situations.
Juliette Lewis plays the bizarre acting Debbie with energy. At first this character is just strange but by movies end she is a little bit appealing. Jeff Goldblum plays Wallys best friend and co-worker Leonard. This character too is a little odd but once you have played a fly you can play any odd character that comes your way.
Question: Can two blue eyed people have a brown eyed child Just asking. I thought the brown gene was always dominant. In this film Kassie and Wally are blue eyed and Sebastian looked brown eyed to me.
The Switch has warmth and charm, at least enough to keep most audiences satisfied. It isnt a departure from the other rom.com movies Aniston has made but this one has Bateman and that is enough to give it an edge.
I scored The Switch a changed 6 out of 10.
