The Switch [Blu-ray]

Director: Josh Gordon, Will Speck Josh Gordon

Overview

A woman approaching middle age yet still childless decides to get pregnant by artificial insemination, only to discover that the donor she chose may not be the father of her child in this comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. Wally Mars (Bateman) is a dyed-in-the-wool pessimist. Hopelessly neurotic and unrepentantly narcissistic, he gets no joy out of life except for the time he spends with his best friend Kassie (Jennifer Aniston). However, despite the fact that Wally pines to be more than just friends with Kassie, she isn't convinced they'd make a good couple. When Kassie announces to Wally that she's found the perfect sperm donor, he's crestfallen; as far as he's concerned, the ideal candidate is standing right in front of her. Later, Kassie selects handsome stranger Roland (Patrick Wilson) to provide the seed. Things get complicated when Kassie's best friend Debbie (Juliette Lewis) throws an "insemination party" to commemorate the big event, and Wally intercepts Roland's special delivery, drunkenly replacing it with his own before blacking out. Pregnant and content, Kassie leaves the city for Minnesota, where she gives birth to a healthy baby boy. Flash-forward seven years, and Kassie returns to New York with her son, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), who shares an uncanny number of physical and psychological traits with embittered bachelor Wally. Before long Wally and Sebastian have become good friends, and Wally becomes convinced that the boy is his biological son. His ideal family is finally within reach, and if he can just figure out a means of breaking the news to Kassie gently, perhaps she'll find it in her heart to forgive him, and recognize that he'll make the perfect father for Sebastian.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/22/2020
UPC:	0032429345653
Original Release:	2010
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	PARAMOUNT
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:41:00
Sales rank:	21,398

Special Features

Deleted scenes and alternate ending with introductions by the directors; "The Switch Conceived" behind-the-scenes featurette; Bloopers; 1080p High Definition; English SDH subtitles

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jennifer Aniston	Kassie Larson
Jason Bateman	Wally Mars
Patrick Wilson	Roland
Jeff Goldblum	Leonard
Juliette Lewis	Debbie
Thomas Robinson	Sebastian,Older Sebastian
Todd Louiso	Artie
Scott Elrod	Declan
Kelli Barrett	Roland's Wife Jessica
Caroline Dhavernas	Pauline
Victor Pagan	Knit Hat Guy
Rebecca Naomi Jones	Party Guest,Climbing Wall Guide
Jeremy J. Mohler	Party Guest #2
Will Swenson	Actor on Stage
Edward James Hyland	Man in Theatre
Brian Podnos	Waiter
Carmen M. Herlihy	Woman on Bus
Lily Pilblad	Girl at Pizzeria
Amanda Barron	Roland's Sister
Bob Bencomo	Pirate Hat Guy
Nick Diamantis	Lawyer
Stephen Hadeed Jr.	Theatre Patron
Gina Hernandez	Mexican Resturaunt Patron
Brooke Hoover	Pig Nose Woman
Chris von Hoffmann	Usher
Alex Wurman	Composer

Technical Credits

Allan Loeb

Josh Gordon	Director
Will Speck	Director
Allan Loeb	Screenwriter
Albert Berger	Producer
Ron Yerxa	Producer
Nathan Kahane	Executive Producer,Producer
Jennifer Aniston	Executive Producer
Kristin Hahn	Executive Producer,Producer
Douglas Aibel	Casting
Doug Crosby	Stunts
Jared Burke	Stunts
Drew Jiritano	Special Effects
Drew Jiritano Jr.	Special Effects
Natalie Jean	Stunts
Brian Bellinkoff	Producer
Thomas Varga	Sound Mixer

Editorial Reviews

The Switch is a loose adaptation of a Jeffrey Eugenides story called "Baster," published in The New Yorker in 1996, but where the short story dealt with an unattractive and insecure man completely in love with his beautiful career-oriented BFF, the bulk of the film takes place after the short story ends -- post-insemination -- and that's where the movie goes from interesting premise to confused mess. The story centers on best friends Wally (Jason Bateman), a slightly neurotic man-child, and Kassie (Jennifer Aniston), a smart career-minded woman who decides it's time to have a baby -- even if it means doing it by herself. Kassie's friends throw her a fertility party to celebrate the event, and with a little help from sperm donor Roland "the Viking" (Patrick Wilson), she's ready to get pregnant. However, things get wacky when Wally accidentally spills the sample and does the only thing a drunk and desperate 40-year-old man would do -- replace the sample with his own. The last-minute switch is unbeknownst to her, and isn't discovered until seven years later, when Wally finally gets acquainted with Kassie's quirky son, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson). The film's premise is reminiscent of the Jennifer Lopez vehicle The Back-up Plan, which came out the same year and also dealt with a desperate woman, doing desperate things, in desperate times -- with a turkey baster. The Switch is in a similar vein and takes the whole concept of artificial insemination and presents it in a way that makes the audience question whether they support Kassie's decision; of course, in true Hollywood fashion, Kassie doesn't end up raising her child on her own, as both Wally and Roland vie for the title of "Dad." Despite lending itself to a strong narrative, this controversial topic ultimately takes a backseat as screenwriter Allan Loeb takes too many different approaches, running the gamut from slapstick comedy to traditional rom-com. Though the film is from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, The Switch lacks that same kind of charm and complexity that made those films so appealing. The heart and strength of the film lie in the relationship between Wally and Sebastian, with alternating scenes of tender moments and father-son bonding hijinks. Their similarities -- they both moan when they chew, have the same stance, are self-proclaimed hypochondriacs -- make for a funny and touchingly well-matched compulsively nerdy pair. Thomas Robinson is undeniably adorable with his giant eyes and heart-melting pout, and Bateman is convincing as the doting father figure. Aniston is the weak link here, taking her place as the queen of mediocre rom-coms. There's really no chemistry between her and Bateman or Wilson, and it seems like she was miscast. Still, with a strong supporting cast including Jeff Goldblum as Wally's witty friend, who serves as a sounding board and provides advice, and Juliette Lewis as Kassie's best girlfriend, who can always be counted on to hurl insults at Wally, the framework of The Switch shapes up nicely.