SWITCH
A film review by Laurie Mann
Copyright 1991 Laurie Mann
SWITCH is a clever idea with a very strong lead in search of a decent script and supporting characters. If it weren't for Ellen Barkin's outstanding performance, it wouldn't be worth anyone's time. It was a major disappointment for me, especially since Blake Edwards' previous gender-bender (VICTOR/VICTORIA) was perceptive, sharp, and very funny for the entire movie. SWITCH is just plain muddled.
There was a movie with overtones of SWITCH made in the early 1980s---I think it was called GOODBYE CHARLIE, and Debbie Reynolds plays the reincarnated man. I think it was a funnier movie than SWITCH. In SWITCH, a slime named Steve Brooks is murdered while in the company of three of his ex-lovers. Brooks is sent back to Earth to find one woman who loves him, or be sent straight to hell. The devil makes it more complicated for him by giving Steve an instant sex change. So Steve, now calling himself Amanda, has to cope with being an MCP in a woman's body that he is *quite* attracted to. Amanda is hysterical at first, but suddenly realizes she can either be a woman or be dead. She decides to live with it.
SWITCH is one of those movies that virtually every funny scene in the movie is in the trailer. The script just refuses to take many chances, and the supporting characters aren't at all interesting. The hair and high heel jokes turn tired instantly, but are repeated for about an hour of the movie. I think Amanda might have dressed like a super-fem once or twice, but would have quit in favor of comfort. The sparks never really fly between Amanda and Walter (Jimmy Smits, an earnest performance but basically a flat one), as drinking buddies with a twist.
The one part of the movie that *might* have been interesting was the possible relationship between Amanda and Ms. Flaxon (Lorraine Braccho). Amanda knows that Ms. Flaxon is gay, and figures she can bed her and get her business. But Amanda faints rather than make love to a woman, because, as one of his ex-lovers reminds him "You're a homophobe, so you couldn't make love to a woman." Apparently, an earlier cut of the movie *did* land them in bed, but it was re-edited. A pity.
The only supporting character who "had a life" was JoBeth Williams as one of Amanda's murderous ex-lovers. She was *very* funny as the flustered, rich murderer who only lived to party.
This movie is a six on the Chuck scale, but only because of Barkin's performance. She was terrific. Otherwise, stay home and watch VICTOR/VICTORIA or TOOTSIE if you want to see a good gender-bender comedy.
A comment on the ending: Did anyone *not* see that one coming??????
Laurie Mann lmann%jjmhome@m2c.m2c.org NeXT Mail: lmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com .
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