It wasn't planned, but somehow I have fallen into a Jennifer Aniston "marathon" the last couple of weeks. With all the titles I have on hold, there wasn't a lot to choose from at my Library and that's how I wound up with The Switch today. When this movie first came out, and based on the trailer, I immediately dismissed this as yet another Aniston Rom-Com flick. Yes, The Switch does have it's toes in the same waters that make up the genre and she does get top billing here, but she does not carry the movie at all. The movie begins and ends with Jason Bateman, which I was not expecting at all.

Even though you absolutely know exactly how the movie will end, thus solidifying it as a "Rom-Com", it really doesn't play like one at all from my perspective. This one has an interesting premise when a drunk Wally (Bateman) hijack's his BFF Kassie's (Aniston) pregnancy by switching a pre-selected sperm donor with his own, unbeknownst to her. Fastforward 7 years and Wally is now face to face with this little boy. Suddenly, this new situation forces him to grow up himself, who up till this point was basically a man-child. Like I said, the story is more about this Boy and his Father learning to bond with each other and changing each other lives for the better. There were a couple of deep scenes that will leave you a bit teary-eyed in how the scenes play out, played to perfection by Bateman.

The little kid that plays the son Sebastian, Thomas Robinson, is great. He and Bateman have great on-screen chemistry together. The movie is only going to be as good as the kid that they have playing the son and they definitely picked a winner. The ending was very predictable and wrapped up in a nice tidy bow a little too fast to my liking. But overall, I found The Switch quite enjoyable and one that I would definitely watch again if I stumble across it while channel surfing. With Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis also in the cast, I can recommend this as a definite Rent.

If you decide to check out the movie, do yourself a favor and don't watch the Trailer. It misrepresents itself as something it's not (a comedy) and gives away too much in the form of spoilers. The trailer is why I dismissed the movie in the first place 3 years ago. You've been warned. Yes, there are some funny bits here and there, but it's really in line with a light-drama more than anything else.

Isn't what Bateman did there illegal?  Like shockingly so?  Seems to me it would be.

Hey Mac, curious to know if you saw this and what your opinion of it is. I figure you might like it because of the Father/Son story-line that anchors the movie.