THE CHANGE-UP (REVIEW)
Rated
MA - 112 mins
Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Mircea
Monroe, Alan Arkin
Two best friends, inseparable since childhood,
are now more than ever connected after the unusual combination of a drunken night
out, a water fountain, and a random bolt of lightning. The pair live different
lives in every way.
Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) is pot smoking enthusiast
ladies man and self proclaimed unemployed slacker. Dave (Jason Bateman) is a habit
of his own routines, a family man and respected law firm associate. The very next
day after their most recent big night out, they wake up in each other's bodies.
Despite the initial craziness of the situation, the boys finally come together
with a survival plan.
Unfortunately from the outset, it's obvious
they have no hope of living each other's various lives with complications building
from the get-go. Body swap films are nothing new from 'Freaky Friday' to the recent
'17 Again', the formula actually peaked in the 1980's in 'Like Father Like Son'
and 'Big', that's really where the idea should have ended. The novelty factor
lasts about half an hour before predictability sets in. The jokes do get more
meaningful as the film wears on as the duo come to the reality that their original
lives are worth everything. The characters evolve and begin to learn that life
in their own entity may need some minor tweaking, but is not so bad after all.
Dave's
modern suburban life is portrayed as banal, complete with a slightly bossy wife
and a bullied pre-teen daughter. Mitch's revolving door of beautiful women looks
great on the outside, but is empty on the inside. When a solution arrives, the
ending seems quite cautious considering everything that preceded it. The normally
reliable lead actors are hit & miss. However blame is the mostly puerile script
to work from.
With very little class, a few set pieces are
bound to raise an eyebrow rather than a smile at times, if you're not actually
cringing. Shock tactics of anatomy close-ups and toilet humour is abundant and
uncalled for just for the sake of a gross gag. Not even Academy Award winning
veteran Alan Arkin is able to bring a sense of normality into proceedings. That
honour goes to a gorgeous Olivia Wilde (Cowboys & Aliens) as Sabrina. She
plays it straight to the chaotic events happening around her.
Shane
A. Bassett
