The Change-Up (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Michael: This week we're reviewing The Change-Up, a raucous comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Justin Bateman as two men who swap lives a la Freaky Friday.
Mike: I figured from the Freaky Friday concept that this wasn’t going to amount to much. I was wrong. This movie had me laughing all night.
What did you think?
Michael: Add another movie to the Summer of Comedies 2011. I haven't seen this many dead-on hilarious movies in a long time. They're starting to over shadow the action movies this year.
Mike: It has been a great summer of movies, so I figured that our luck must have run out by now.
This is a raunchy comedy and might not be for everyone, but if you like R rated comedies, this is a keeper.
Michael: But they keep on coming! 30 Minutes or Less comes out next week!
Mike: Can the streak continue? I guess we'll see next week.
Michael: The Change-Up doesn't disappoint. Granted, it's about two guys and how they magically swap bodies and their hi-jinks, but they pull it off like we haven't seen it before -- like you said, it's a hard R rating.
Mike: This movie benefits from great casting. Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman are not two guys I would have put together, but they work very well together.
Michael: I agree. They must have determined early on that they weren't going to impersonate each other. But Reynolds establishes early on that he's the obnoxious ID and Bateman's the responsible superego. As long as they keep that tone, it works -- and it did perfectly. It also doesn't hurt that they both have similar mannerisms, which I'll blame on both actors' hailing from the Great White North.
Mike: Oh, so that explains why they are the leads in this, it’s because they are Canucks, eh.
Michael: That's my conspiracy theory, hoser!
Mike: Its good to see Reynolds back to his comedy roots and as I have said before, I will watch Bateman in anything. Arrested Development rules!
Michael: Both men have had other successful movies this summer, so I hope they'll have a few flicks for us when the dead of winter arrives.
Mike: This is not a movie that you go to for the plot. If you have seen one switch bodies movie, then you've seen this. They both learn and grow and are happy to be back at the end, blah, blah , blah.
But, the stuff that happens in between is both crude and hysterical and I loved it.
It helps if you are a fan of the F word and enjoy cringe worthy comedy. And I do.
Michael: Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde play the female love interests for the two male leads, and there's some benefit for the male audience in that casting as well.
Mike: I also love the female cast. It seems like Olivia wide is everywhere right now and that is OK with me.
Leslie Mann is a great combination of good looking, funny with a psycho woman hiding underneath. I'm actually surprised to see her in a non Judd Apatow comedy.
Michael: Yeah, but I'm glad that other directors are chasing her to be in their movies too. She's gotten really good at those roles.
Mike: This movie is directed by David Dobkin of Wedding Crashers fame and written by the writers of the Hangover movies.
I think if those movies are your speed, then this will be too.
Michael: It's definitely a movie for those that like buddy comedies.
Any other bright spots for you?
Mike: Yes, I never thought that a scene about feeding babies in the middle of the night would be so funny.
How about you?
Michael: The babies were a bonus. So was the dialogue. Kudos for Jon Lucas and Scott Moore -- two writers from The Hangover.
Mike: Alright then Michael, how do you rate this?
Michael: It's a little lower than some of the other comedies that we've seen this year, but it's still pretty good. I'm giving it 3.5 out of 5.
Mike: I'm going to go a little higher at 4 out of 5. I think it is funnier than the Hangover 2, but not sure it beats out Horrible Bosses.
Michael: You're right. It's as predictable as Hangover Part 2, but they have enough laughs for the audience to not worry about the plot as much.
Mike: All I know is the next time I think I wish I had your life, I'm gonna think twice.
