Film reviews
Men In Black 3
It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.
Bel Ami
The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.
The Dictator
A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.
The Woman In Black
Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.
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The Switch (Film)
Rating: M
Running Time: 101
Country: USA
Director: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Jeff Goldblum, Juliette Lewis, Patrick Wilson
Distributor: Roadshow
Release Date: October 28, 2010 Sydney, Melbourne
Film Worth: $9.00
FILMINK rates movies out of $20 - the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worthDespite a promising premise and an appealing cast, this film fails to deliver the laughs and veers too close to rom-com clichés.
When you accidently-on-purpose hijack your best friend's sperm donation, the only way to fix the problem is by replacing it with your own, right? Well, according to the minds of directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck (the duo behind Blades of Glory) it is. The plot puts an interesting twist on the typical brand of rom-com we know and sometimes love, but like so many before it, The Switch falls into the inevitable trap of being just another ‘I'm in love with my best friend' film.
Jason Bateman plays Wally, a man-child full of neurosis who is long time best buddies with Kassie (Jennifer Aniston). Kassie decides she wants to fall pregnant via sperm donor Roland, played with a little too much cheese by Patrick Wilson. Cue a drunken Wally pulling the switch on Kassie's would-be donation and trading it with his own. Seven years later and Sebastian (Thomas Robinson) is the walking, talking embodiment of Wally.
Loosely based on Jeffrey Eugenides short story, The Switch fails to fulfil the potential of what was a promising premise. Aniston and Bateman's lacklustre chemistry makes you question how they could have remained such long-term friends, let alone apparent soul mates. Sidekicks Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis - who play the couple's best friends - invest spark into this meandering hit-and-miss comedy. Similarly one can't help but be drawn to the childlike charm of Robinson, who plays hypochondriac youngster Sebastian to perfection.
However, with few laugh out loud moments and a lack of chemistry between the lead characters, this rather bland rom-com may leave audiences feeling indifferent.
