The Change-Up Review

"The Change-Up"
Release Date: August 5, 2011
Directed by: David Dobkin
Screenplay by: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
Rated: R for pervasive strong crude sexual content and language, some graphic nudity and drug use.
Review by: Sean Kayden

As the race continues for the best comedy of the summer, “The Change-Up” may just be the one to hold the throne. While this illustrious status might appear to be grand in nature, one must bear in mind that it’s not like it was going up against stiff competition. Any specific elements that seemed to be lacking in “The Hangover: Part II”, “Horrible Bosses” and “Bad Teacher” (nothing in that film worked at all), is touched upon (at times half-heartedly) in “The Change-Up”. It went for more crudeness than “Horrible Bosses”, it provided more consistent laughs than “The Hangover: Part II” and did everything better than the ill-conceived “Bad Teacher”. The plot of the movie is far from original. It’s about two best friends that live entirely different lifestyles and magically switch bodies after announcing to one another that they wish they had the other’s life. Jason Bateman plays Dave Lockwood, a straight-laced, successful lawyer and father of three. He doesn’t spend all that much time with his wife these days and it has a put a bit of strain on their marriage. Ryan Reynolds portrays Mitch Planko, a single, sort of loser-ish ladies man. It’s briefly shown that he has a stressed relationship with his father, played by Alan Arkin. It is due to the fact that Mitch never grew up and lacks any true responsibilities or motivation. In any event, after a night of drinking (never entering “Hangover” status-like), Dave and Mitch decide to urinate in a fountain. Once they recite the same lines about wanting the other’s life simultaneously, the whole city has a rolling black out. The following morning, they wake up in the other’s body. This occurs within the initial fifteen minutes and after that, the energetic pace of the movie dives into outrageous, ridiculous, and absurd terrain. However, it’s sort of endearing and sentimental too. It’s a wildly uneven ride, but that’s why it kind of works.

The electrifying comedic performances of Bateman and Reynolds are what make the movie become lifted from pure mediocrity. It’s fun to watch these guys playing the type of character the other one usually plays. We’re so accustomed to Jason Bateman playing the same, straight-laced character, such as the one from his beloved TV series, “Arrested Development”. Reynolds is usually the fratboy, too cool for school sort of guy, but plays the reserved and more responsible type. It’s actually refreshing to see if you’re a fan of these two actors (such as I am). Surprisingly so, the supporting women characters were written quite well. Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde don’t feel like stock women characters for the men to merely just play off of. They are independent, believable and have real personalities. Director David Dobkin, best known for “Wedding Crashers”, is able to get everyone on their A-game. He keeps things wild and unrestrained, but knows (majority of the time) not to go too overboard. However, he probably used a little more CGI than necessary. I guess the new thing for nude scenes is CGI nipples. Hey guys, kind of shame, isn’t it? As I digress, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the team behind the first “The Hangover”, wrote the screenplay. They certainly know how keep things fun and vibrant. The script’s pace is swift and generally funny, but not everything here is a success. Sometimes the jokes go a little too far for a laugh and the gross out humor in the beginning may be a turn off for some. There are a lot of F-bombs and while most seem appropriate, the overwhelmingly amount could have certain individuals turned off by it. In the third act, the movie wanders into the obligatory life lesson segment. While we perceptively know where it’s heading, it does however, genuinely feel valid getting there. Needless to say, it does it a hell of a better than the atrocious “Bad Teacher” set out to accomplish.

It’s possible to write off “The Change-Up” as a Hollywood manufactured movie. The premise is as old as dirt and certain plot points seems to be sugarcoated. Strangely enough, the movie is far better than what it is on paper and simply based on the trailer alone. It’s a traditional story kicked up a few notches with its ribald dialect, raunchiness, and distasteful humor, but it actually comes together relatively well. The performances are spot on and that’s credited to Bateman and Reynolds’ ultra strong comedic sensibilities. “The Change-Up” easily provides the most laughs of any of the R-rated comedies this summer. It’s risky and takes chances the other films seem to avoid on doing. While it’s far from perfect and has its share of problems, it’s ultimately satisfying in the way a summer comedy should be.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Published on August 13th, 2011 by Mountain Views News.
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v05/htm/n33/p09.htm