The Switch

Synopsis: When her male best friend switches his own sperm with that of her donor sperm life gets complicated.

Release Date: August 20, 2010     MPAA Rating: PG-13

Genre(s): Romantic Comedy, Drama

Film Review

Wally Mars (Jason Bateman) has hijacked Kassie Larson’s (Jennifer Aniston) pregnancy. Although it takes him seven years to realize it and only by spending time with her sweet, neurotic child, Sebastian. His actions were not done with malice or on purpose exactly; it was purely accidental – in a strange, twisted sort of way. When Wally meets Sebastian for the first time he is six years old and quite a character. Full of neurosis, an inquisitive disposition, intelligent beyond his years, with a huge imagination, and cute as one can possibly be, he bonds with his “uncle” Wally immediately. What develops is a friendship between man and boy that they both need desperately in their lives. Kassie welcomes the relationship and wants Wally in Sebastian’s life, even as she dates whom she believes to be the actual donor (aka Sebastians’s father). In a small way it almost seems like Kassie knows Wally is Sebastian’s father the entire time. Or at least treasures the similarities in their personalities and mannerisms. Perhaps it is just the familiarity with Wally, and the safeness he provides as her friend, that makes having her son so much like him a positive predicament. Seeing Kassie’s love for her son, who is just like her best friend, makes it all the more easy to welcome the idea of more than just friends between Kassie and Wally. Their romance is not something out of a fairytale or romantic novel. The humor of the film is drawn from real experiences and predicaments. The movie is not one that makes you have to suspend your disbelief that this situation could in fact occur, or the relationships develop. Wally and Kassie’s relationship is not easy, nor is it difficult to imagine the two best friend’s together. As the viewer you delight in experiencing the ups and downs, and the glimpses into how these two people, along with their child Sebastian, make up a modern family with ease.

Screenwriter Allan Loeb has accomplished something with this film that makes it a pleasure to watch. Constantly bordering between the romantic comedy and drama genres he has written a script that never falls prey to cliches nor tries to embellish relationships between characters. Every scene feels natural and based in reality, as well as modern. His female characters are strong willed and not in need of a man to save them. In fact, never is the idea of needing a man the focal point of any conversation. A refreshing change to say the least. While his male characters are flawed and can admit to those flaws. The revelations of feelings not coming across as an out of body climactic experience but something that comes with time and maturity. Be it the best friend relationship between a man and a woman, the tender moments spent with a child, or even the ways the characters, as individuals, respond to revelations about themselves, everything occurs in a manner relatable to the viewer. The all too easy contrived notions of love and family are not present here. Instead the unimaginable, in the switching of sperm, that could have gone in many directions resulting in a hapless romantic comedy of stupid and dire proportions has been lifted above this to encompass an honest and true story about love, friendship, and the bonds that tie people together.

Cast and Crew

• Director(s): Josh Gordon
• Producer(s): Allan Loeb
• Screenwriter(s): Jennifer Aniston (Kassie Larson)Jason Bateman (Wally Mars)Jeff Goldblum (Leonard)
• Story: Juliette Lewis (Debbie)
• Cast:  John AxelradJess HallAdam Stockhausen
• Editor(s):
• Cinematographer: Alex Wurman
• Production Designer(s):
• Costume Designer: 
• Casting Director(s): 
• Music Score: 
• Music Performed By: 
• Country Of Origin: USA