Grade ( B- )
The Switch starring Jason Bateman & Jennifer Aniston hits theaters this weekend. The general premise is based on the fact that Kassie’s (Aniston) bilogical clock is ticking away and she wants to have a baby. Well where does Bateman’s character Wally come in.. he’s her straight guy, stuck in the friend zone BFF, and more of the film actually circles around him than her.
Wally doesn’t agree with the choice she’s making, but shows up to her “i’m getting pregnant party” anyway. Getting completely wasted and by chance coming across her donors specimen.. The idiot then spills it down the sink by accident and does the only logical thing, or at least logical to a drunk person. Wally refills it himself, essentially hijacking her pregnancy, none of which he remembers in the morning.
Kassie then moves away to Minnesota or Wisconsin.. one of those northern states where it would be “good” to raise a child. Then 7 years later she returns to new york and reconnects with her BFF Wally, introducing her son Sebastian to him. Wally is thrown off when he notices he and Sebastian share several of the same neurotic characteristics, characteristics the original donor “Roland” doesn’t posess. So with the help of his boss played by Goldblum, Wally figures out what he did that night and that the kid is actually his. To see how the rest of the film plays out you’ll have to go and see it!
Bateman was funny as usual, and as expected Aniston stayed inside her little comfortable box of Rachel Green style performances. The real shining star in this film is the young new actor Thomas Robinson, who played Sebastian. His performance was hilarious, and convincing. He was so good I’d compare him to Dakota Fanning when she was his age. An honorable mention goes to the always great Jeff Goldbloom, but Goldblum alone couldnt save this movie’s rocky plot including Jennifer Aniston’s annoying character. More than once during the duration of the film, I wanted to reach through the screen and shake her, then tell her to “just shut up and let someone else talk!”
As for how is the film itself, well not the funniest thing I’ve seen all summer. It’s a good time waster for a hot day. But nothing oscar worthy, nothing you’ll be raving about to your friends when you walk out. I’d say wait for it on Netflix..
- Rachel Parker
