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The Change-Up (2011)

Director: David Dobkin

Time Out rating

Average user rating

5 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

It’s ‘Freaky Friday’ with F-words and boobies as this body-swap comedy goes grown-up in search of laughs. Jason Bateman is the serious one (married, kiddies, lawyer, stressed), Ryan Reynolds the dude (single, womanising, jobbing actor, unfulfilled), and courtesy of a magic fountain from the ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ school of ironically dumb plot devices, each gets to experience the other’s life. The film’s moralising agenda is swiftly apparent, and pretty one-sided it is too, since Bateman’s return to the bachelor lifestyle has him longing for hearth and home, while Reynolds’s preview of adulthood proves a wake-up call to embrace responsibility. All thuddingly obvious – though, to be fair, sundry outrageous comedy moments keep it lively enough in the meantime, even if the spraying poo and porn-actress gags are more effortful than a spirited sequence where laidback Reynolds tackles childcare. Thanks to a likeable Bateman and a sterling Leslie Mann as his long-suffering/devoted missus, it plays – though you’d have to call the whole undertaking workmanlike rather than inspired.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London Issue 2143: 15 – 21 September, 2011

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User reviews of this film

Love Avtion said...

Posted on Nov 28 2011 11:32 It’s been a while that I laughed a lot for movie and “Change-up” did it for me. I totally recommend every one to watch it; you will have great time watching it. I’ll give it 9.5/10. Avtransfer.co.uk | computerszone.co.uk | happytobuy.co.uk

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Sep 28 2011 21:25 Easy to forget that, after a summer of "penis/Vagina" obsessed 15 raters, this is a decent flick. Like to see 50% less crudity in these types next year (a decent balance between 12a/15 instead of the gulf we have now) but won't hold my breath. 6/10

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pipsqueek said...

Posted on Sep 23 2011 09:29 Yes, of course it was predictable, story line, gags n all, but it was also funny and the audience around me seemed to think so too. It was good to see a romcom being a little more grown up and a little more realistic as it floated in its world of fantasy.

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ARCHGATE said...

Posted on Sep 19 2011 10:19 Nothing new in this tired formula film apart from a young kid squirting some CGI crap in the mouth of his dad. Not good.

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xXXx said...

Posted on Sep 15 2011 20:55 Google "yougov film critics" for the great "Five Stars?" survey on why people choose the films they go and see. Time Out registers at about 0% influence, ALL critics get 6% but 5.5% is Wossy, Kermode and James King. Depressing reading for film critics...I bet this gets removed as film critics don't like bad reviews...

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