The Switch (2010)

Seven years after the fact, a man comes to the realization that he was the sperm donor for his best friend's boy.

Directors:

Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Writers:

Jeffrey Eugenides (based on the short story "Baster" by), Allan Loeb (screenplay by)

Stars:

Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Patrick Wilson

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Bateman	...	Wally Mars
Victor Pagan	...	Knit Hat Guy
Jennifer Aniston	...	Kassie Larson
Jeff Goldblum	...	Leonard
Juliette Lewis	...	Debbie
Todd Louiso	...	Artie
Scott Elrod	...	Declan
Patrick Wilson	...	Roland
Rebecca Naomi Jones	...	Party Guest
Kelli Barrett	...	Roland's Wife Jessica
Jeremy Mohler	...	Party Guest 2 (as Jeremy J. Mohler)
Will Swenson	...	Actor on Stage
Edward James Hyland	...	Man in Theater
Caroline Dhavernas	...	Pauline
Brian Podnos	...	Waiter

Storyline

Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) and Wally (Jason Bateman) are best friends. Being unlucky in love, Kassie has decided to have a child using artificial insemination. Wally doesn't like this idea, but he isn't capable of admitting to himself, let alone to Kassie, that he's in love with her. At Kassie's artificial insemination party, Wally gets very drunk and spies the sperm donor's sample in the bathroom. Wally was way too drunk to know what he did that night, and Kassie has moved away because she doesn't feel that New York City is a place to raise a child. Now 7 years later, Kassie has moved back with her son Sebastian. While she is looking to get Roland (the sperm donor) more involved in their lives, Wally can't help but notice the many striking similarities that he and Sebastian share.

---

Plot Keywords:

sperm donor | mother son relationship | best friend | new york city | father son relationship | 

---

Taglines:

The most unexpected comedy ever conceived.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual material including dialogue, some nudity, drug use and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Baster

Filming Locations:

2nd Ave & E 56th St, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,436,713, 22 August 2010, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$27,758,465, 14 November 2010

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandate Pictures, Bona Fide Productions, Echo Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The play that Kassie and Wally attend is, of course, "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare (as one can tell from the dialogue, if not the costuming).

---

Goofs

When Kassie suggests to Wally on the phone that he bring Sebastian a picture frame as a gift, Wally takes one off his desk and removes the picture from it to give to Sebastian that night -- but Sebastian is disappointed because he knows it is used. Later, when at the frame shop to get Sebastian a new one, Wally brings in the old one with (apparently) a receipt, chooses a new frame, and tells the clerk he's exchanging the old one for the new one.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Wally Mars: Look at us. Running around, always rushed, always late. I guess that's why they call it the human race. What we crave most in this world is connection. For some people it happens at first site. It's when you know, you know. It's fate working its magic. And that's great for them. They get to live in a pop song; ride the express train. But that's not the way it really works. For the rest of us it's a bit less romantic. It's complicated and it's messy. It's about horrible timing and ...

---

Connections

References Panic Room (2002)

---

Soundtracks

Lice
(uncredited)
Written by Alex Wurman
Performed by Alex Wurman

User Reviews

A romantic comedy with maturity to its humour and romance

"The Switch" is like a romantic comedy, except better because it gives you everything you want: romance and comedy with a story and characters. They buck the trend to make the romantic elements absurd and instead shower us with comedy and very little sap.

Jennifer Aniston is just a cute girl that the audience can accept as a character, but Jason Bateman is everything you want in a leading man. Very good looking but not in a typical way, plays up neurotic with aplomb, and is hilarious all the way through. We easily fall in love with him from beginning to end.

"The Switch" actually gives us a story, one where our hero has to evolve and mature as he realizes and understands the value that Aniston and her son bring to his life. Again, Jason Bateman is the kind of man that we have been waiting for in romantic comedies, because he actually has the talent to portray all of that, and do it with comedy. A romantic comedy that is cute, funny, romantic, mature and where you actually welcome the story line - what more could you ask for?