Try as it may to be nothing more than cookie-cutter, shut-off-your-brain romantainment, "The Switch" actually manages to grow past the limitations of its lackluster script, underdeveloped, obtusely written characters, and preposterous premise to become an inexplicably enjoyable film.
"Switch" stars Jason Bateman ("Extract") as Wally, a successful stock broker who nonetheless is a bit of a wet sandwich. Relentlessly pessimistic (a charge he denies: "I'm just a realist," he claims) and deathly fearful of committment, he has been relegated to the role of "best friend," sans benefits, with Kassie (Jennifer Aniston).
Wally perpetually torpedoes both his and her relationships, since he pines for her but is afraid of baring his soul for fear she'll discover how black it is, but the joke is on him; she sees him and secretly longs for him as well, but is rightly put off by his standoffishness.
When Kassie reveals she is going to have a baby by way of artificial insemination, Wally chafes, telling her it's a mistake. Still she's resolute, but in her search for a sperm donor declines to ask Wally, which he sees as a curious omission.
She settles on the handsome but somewhat vacuous Roland (Patrick Wilson, "Watchmen"), who is a handsome enough fellow, freshly married and not exactly a romantic mate. Wally of course is jealous, but still comes to Kassie's insemination party (because this film has to get moving somehow, you know). Wally gets drunk, stumbles into the bathroom where Roland, er, produced his specimen, finds said cup of stuff, and proceeds to accidentally spill it.
What's a guy to do? Well, considering this is a wacky romantic comedy, Wally provides a substitute. The next day he remembers nothing, but when Kassie announces she's pregnant, and moving home from New York to Minnesota, Wally is heartbroken.
Cut to six years later, Kassie returns with her son Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), who bears a strong resemblance to Wally. Not only are Kassie and Wally still single, but Roland is freshly single after his wife cheated on him, and sees Kassie and the boy he thinks is his son and sees an opportunity.
Of course the entire setup is ludicrous, almost as bad as such legendary crapfests as "Failure to Launch" or "The Wedding Date." What makes "Switch" work is excellent performances from its leads, particularly Bateman and Wilson. The former stretches the bounds of likability early on, as an utterly dark, borderline alcoholic, it's not too hard to see why Kassie doesn't view him as a potential mate.
Wilson is an affable antagonist, a nice guy through and through who manages to not fall into the manufactured jerk trap most actors in this role do. Roland is a good guy, he's just incompatible, simply because he isn't Sebastian's dad.
The film's center is the relationship that builds between Wally, an affirmed bachelor with no aspirations toward parenthood, and Sebastian, a misfit in his own right who feels very alone starting a new school and collecting picture frames, whose photos he uses to fill in his own void of a backstory. As they bond, the film draws you in and clutches your heartstrings.
Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis are inexplicably playing the male and female Judy Greers after what seems like an eternity out of the spotlight. Goldblum really brings something to the film, but Lewis is not really built for the role. Her bitch-chic style clashes with the down-to-earth everypeople Bateman and Aniston bring.
"Switch" isn't a film you should rush out to see if you're not a romcom fanatic, but if you are going to see it, you hopefully will be, like I was, pleasantly surprised with what you get.
Read Christopher Lloyd's review of "The Switch" by clicking here.