The Switch is a romantic-comedy movie starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman. Will Speck and Josh Gordon (Blades of Glory) directed the comedy from the screenplay written by Allan Loeb. The film is based on the short story “Baster” by Jeffrey Eugenides.
The story is a simple one and I would say somewhat predictable as these movies goes these days. Kassie & Wally are best friends who live in New York. Kassie decides that she wants to have a baby and as she has almost lost hope of finding the right guy and marrying him, she chooses to do so alone, with the services of handsome and charming sperm donor Roland (Patrick Wilson). Wally tries to talk her out of it, mainly because he is in love with her but unable to profess it to her. As his boss / friend Leonard (Jeff Goldblum) points out, Wally is so established in the “friend zone” and has missed his chance.
Kassie organizes an “insemination party with her other close friend Debbie (Julliette Lewis),” where Roland produces the sperm in the bathroom, and leaves behind the cup. After a while a drunk Wally enters to use the bathroom and sees the cup, and not happy with it, he plays with the cup and accidentally spills it into the sink. Not knowing what to do he replaces the sperm – with his own! Totally drunk he forgets about the incident after sleeping the night. The insemination is successful but Kassie has to leave New York because of her work; still believing that she is pregnant with Roland’s child. The two friends try to keep in touch but 7 years pass by with them barely exchanging a few words to each other.
Now, Kassie is back to New York, bringing her young son Sebastian with her. She contacts Wally as she settles in a new place back in NYC and although slowly & awkwardly, Wally & Sebastian form a strong bond with each other. However Kassie meets up with Ronald, who is now single and they start dating. Because she thinks he is Sebastian’s father, Kassie thinks a relationship for the 3 of them will be good for Sebastian, who however is uncomfortable with Ronald. As Wally slowly remembers what he did,  reveals to Kassie that Sebastian is his son, along with his true feelings for her at a party where Ronald plans to propose to Kassie. Hurt & embarrassed Kassie breaks off contact with Wally. At first she is angry, and does not want to see him again, but Sebastian misses him and so does she; finally she breaks up with Roland. Wally proposes to her, and Kassie accepts.
It’s predictable as hell and maybe even corny in places but still sweet. The kid is fabulous and is sure to win your heart in this movie. I’ll watch anything with Aniston in it (yes there is a crush hidden in me). It’s also nice to see Jeff Goldblumm as I haven’t seen him in a anything in a while. 6 out of 10!
The 84th Academy Awards was held at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Hollywood, California last night for the US & today morning for us here in India. Hosted by Billy Crystal, his 9th such outing, the awards this year was marred slightly by a little controversy when Eddie Murphy stepped down as host after Brett Ratner resigned as producer, following Ratner’s use of a gay slur when discussing rehearsals. Also Sasha Baron Cohen was banned from the awards ceremony, only to be told that he could not attend in one of his various character alter egos. Still he did show up dressed up as The Dictator, holding an urn which The Dictator said was filled with the ashes of Kim Jong Il. During his interview with the E! Red Carpet, he spilled the urn of ashes onto E! Red Carpet Host Ryan Seacrest.