Film Reviews

The Change Up

• Rating:
• Director: David Dobkin
• Starring: Jason Bateman
• Details: US/112mins 16

A comedy that wears its filthy sense of humour firmly on its sleeve, The Change Up was never going to live up to the "from the writers of The Hangover and director of Wedding Crashers" billing it was getting, but it has a good bash at it. In the opening minutes there's a close-up of a baby's rear-end as it excretes into Jason Bateman's mouth; that's director Dobkin telling you exactly the type of film you're getting. The first twenty minutes or so are genuinely hilarious, but when the high concept plot kicks in the film suffers a little.
Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds are Dave and Mitch, lifelong friends that couldn't be more different. The pedantic Dave (Bateman) is married with three kids and a stressful career, while Mitch (Reynolds) is an out of work actor who spends more time working his bong and sleeping with beautiful women than worrying about the future. When the two pee in a magical fountain one night and wish they could switch places, they wake up the next morning to discover that they have. Both then need to figure out how exactly to get back to their own bodies without messing up the others life too much.
Having spoken to both Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds, it's clear both guys knew this set-up was silly. But they liked the script and Dobkin has directed an R rated comedy before to spectacular effect. The film works best at the beginning, when Reynolds is in foul mouth mode, constantly cursing like Kerry Katona after catching her flab in a car door. Reynolds is very very good at playing an arrogant swine; his timing is impeccable, and he has always had the guys like/girls fancy movie star vibe oozing from his every pore. It's a different kind of role for Bateman, an excellent comedic actor in his own right, who has a blast sending up Reynolds' boisterous character.
The problem, not just here but with a lot of comedies, comes when the plot needs to be resolved. And the plot becomes naturally convoluted and takes too long to resolve. But I am the man who gave Hot Tub Time Machine four stars because of the laugh quota and I stand by that. If a comedy is funny enough to warrant your time then forget the plot - the aim should be to deliver laughs which The Change Up manages to do.
Bateman and Reynolds are a great team and play off of each other brilliantly. It's a little too long, but there are plenty of laughs to be had.

Review by Mike Sheridan