A not-so-critical perspective on The Switch
I’m just going to say it – The Switch, which hits theaters today, is one of Jen’s best movies. Ever. The flick, directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck, is, very simply, a gem, not only tickling the funny bone, but tugging on the heartstrings with a premise that resonates with anyone. Really. Artificial insemination may be at the core of this particular story, but the friendship between Jen’s Kassie and Jason Bateman’s Wally is something that so many of us have experienced with that one friend – the banter, the heartbreak, and everything in between. The two leads are longtime friends in real life, and that familiarity is apparent in their easy chemistry – and the more difficult moments that they play with all of the sensitivity and subtlety that the material warrants.
Of course, Kassie’s son Sebastian is at the center of the story, and the boy, played by newcomer Thomas Robinson, will turn any viewer to mush. The character is meant to be pessimistic and antisocial – but Robinson manages to make even those traits endearing. I see big things for this talented young man. And Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis turn in entertaining performances as pals of the leads – often well-meaning, but at least as clueless as Wally and Kassie themselves! Family matters are often messier than the aftermath of an insemination party, and The Switch offers a refreshing take on what exactly constitutes family. And I’m not about to give away the biggest laughs in this one – but you will laugh. Hard. Go see it, and you’ll see what I mean.
