The Switch

The Switch

2010

Comedy (Drama, Romance)

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 101 minutes

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Jeff Goldblum, Patrick Wilson, Juliette Lewis, Thomas Robinson
Directed By: Josh Gordon, Will Speck

Rating: 3 out of 10

Outline

Seven years after his best friend gets pregnant through a sperm donor, a guy realizes he may be the father.

Review

I am pretty sure Jennifer Aniston is trying to find a cure for insomnia with her movies. Her film choices have been curious and this is another forgettable movie for the most marketable of the Friends alumni. The Switch is the story of best friends Wally and Kassie. 7 years after Kassie used a sperm donor to become pregnant, Wally realizes he is the father of her son.

This is the style of movie I hate the most. It is the movie that hovers in between genres that never really settles into one or the other. The premise of a guy switching his sperm for another donor is undoubtedly a comedic theme. You would guess that but the film isn’t funny. The premise of a single mom raising a kid and struggling with relationships is undoubtedly dramatic. You would guess that but this film isn’t interesting story wise. Because the film doesn’t establish a genre it just awkwardly flip-flops between comedy and drama confusing the viewer as to what they are watching. The film introduces us to Wally and Kassie and instantly I was skeptical of this premise. Kassie is a beautiful woman with no weird traits so why does she have so much trouble finding a partner? Wally is this ball of neuroses that is hard to appreciate. He is a hypochondriac, a cynic, and he purrs when he eats. He is all these things and yet he is rarely funny. So the will they or wont they get together scenario is really tired and cliché to witness.

Wally is played by Jason Bateman and this is his bread and butter character. I am a little tired of it at this point as he is the same sarcastic character in every film. He is okay but is at his best when he isn’t trying that hard. A great scene where he casually throws up in a trash can teases the viewer with what could have been. Kassie played by Jennifer Aniston is her same old self and brings nothing new to the role. She is underwhelming as a single mom and she needs to be more discerning in what she chooses. The kid Sebastian played by Thomas Robinson is easily the worst part of the film. His depressed face and adult demeanor is just sad to witness. I am especially hard on kid actors and Robinson was not only weak, but he really bothered me with his performance. Jeff Goldblum and Juliette Lewis are in this also if you are fans of theirs.

So the film is basically a lot of posturing until Kassie comes back to town with a 6 year old Sebastian. While there are some touching moments between Wally and Sebastian, the film never the less fails to keep the viewer interested. Wally struggling with his feelings and Sebastian’s constant frown is enough to make the viewer pray for this film to end. This film tries its hardest to be funny and thoughtful but it fails on both counts.

I was interested to see this film as directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck put together a surprisingly funny film in Blades of Glory. They couldn’t continue that success as this film struggles in many departments to be entertaining. The unoriginal leads, the obvious advice giving co-workers, and the casting of a truly obnoxious kid all leads to a poor watch. While the script itself is generic they also never help it along. This is truly a disappointing finished product.

 I cannot recommend this film as it struggles with its own identity.

T Factor + If you like romantic comedies than this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor + If you do not like child actors than this could score lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: Failure to Launch, Fool’s Gold

Stan Helsing

Stan Helsing

2009

Comedy

Rated: R

Running Time: 108 minutes

Starring: Steve Howey, Diora Baird, Kenan Thompson, Desi Lydic, Leslie Nielsen

Directed By: Bo Zenga

Rating: 1 out of 10

Outline

4 friends must survive Halloween night as they are chased by killer icons of horror cinema.

Review

I wasn’t in a very good mood so I decided to pop in a comedy to lighten things up. Unfortunately the comedy was called Stan Helsing and it did nothing to improve my grouchiness. This film is the story of Stan Helsing. He and three friends get lost on their way to a Halloween party and end up on the wrong side of town. They are pursued by evil monsters who all mistake him for the legendary monster killer, Van Helsing.

I don’t know why but the title of this film cracks me up. That is all that cracks me up with this movie though. The film starts and we see Stan Helsing as he finishes his shift at a local video store. A bizarre encounter with a human sized cockroach in the bathroom sets the stage for a truly putrid film. The writer seems to be obsessed with bathrooms in this film as there were four different bathroom scenes all together. Not exactly a parody this film uses the likeness of all the infamous serial killers in cinematic history. Pinhead, Michael Myers, Jason, Freddy, Leatherface, and many more show up in the film but are slightly altered. Leatherface has a leaf blower instead of a chainsaw, Freddy has utensils instead of finger knives, Pinhead has darts instead of spikes in his head, and this is the best they could come up with. The film is a woeful 108 minutes of the lowest grade humor you will find. Stan Helsing and his friend Teddy are a couple of bumbling idiots and the girls are basically eye candy that repeatedly have attention brought to their bodies by lights and honking sounds when they get groped. The movie has the four friends running around from place to place sexually harassing each other and also trying to stay one step ahead of the poorly thought up monsters.

I am not going to talk much about the acting as these people are here for a paycheck and that’s it. Stan Helsing is played by Steve Howey. Besides looking a little like Jimmy McNulty from the Wire he is a terrible lead and everyone else follows his example. Teddy is played by the perpetually unfunny Kenan Thompson and he plays a generic token black guy. The girls played by Diora Baird and Desi Lydic set women back 20 years with their scantily clad performances. It was sad to witness these people go through the motions when even they know this wasn’t going to be funny.

The movie rolls along and besides a funny Kobe Bryant reference very early on I can’t remember even one funny scene. When I thought this film couldn’t get any worse the four friends battle the serial killers in a karaoke battle. Seeing infamous serial killers singing a YMCA parody is truly the low point of this film. As the end mercifully arrives, one can only wonder how a movie can be this bad and get funding. Do not watch this for any reason as it will just infuriate you.

Director and writer Bo Zenga should be banned from doing anything in regards to movies. You would think with a name like Bo Zenga he would be funnier but that isn’t the case. He tortures this cast as he sends them on a journey no one wants to watch. He misuses comedy legend Leslie Neilson and his tired toilet humor will appeal to no one. The film is many things but ultimately it just isn’t funny.

I cannot recommend this film as it should never have been made.

T Factor + If you like movies that are so bad they are funny than this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor – Pick anything and this could score lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: Epic Movie, Date Movie. 

The Help

The Help

2011

Drama

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: 146 minutes

Starring: Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney

Directed By: Tate Taylor

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Outline

An aspiring writer is trying to get a book published on the African American maids that work in her community during the civil rights movement.

Review

About a year ago I heard a bunch of different people talking about a person named Skeeter on the subway. I was wondering why all the fuss over the obnoxious journalist from Harry Potter. What I soon found out was a book called the Help was the biggest literary fad of the moment. From there it was only a natural progression to turn one of North America’s hottest books into a full length feature film. The Help is the story of an aspiring white writer during the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. She decides to write a book from the African American maid’s point of view leading to some interesting problems.

I haven’t read the book this film is based on so I don’t know if this film does it justice but it was a good watch. Most people will like this film for its touching story and for its appealing characters. The film starts and the viewer is instantly treated to the maids as they go about their work as second class citizens. The films tone is set by things like separate bathrooms for the African American maids, disparaging remarks about the maids while they are still in the room, riding at the back of the bus and so on and so forth. The film follows Skeeter who is an aspiring writer. The first subject of her book is a maid named Aibileen. Skeeter is writing a book about the maid’s point of view in serving the white folk of the county. Aibileen is a strong woman who goes against her better judgment and provides her thoughts and experiences for the book. It takes strong people on both sides of a touchy subject to enact change and that is why this movie is so good. Skeeter is shunned for her unpopular dealings with the help and Aibileen could not only lose her job for her stories but also her life. The struggle to get the truth out about the maid’s deplorable working conditions will bring out a few tears from the viewer.

The story is good but the characters and more importantly the acting is what makes this movie special. Skeeter is played by Emma Stone and she is good as the lead. She is able to drive the story as a tom boyish woman with strong convictions. Her supporting cast is great though. The maid Aibileen played by Viola Davis and  the maid Minny played by Octavia Spencer steal the show in this. Davis plays her character as a serious woman but with strong emotion. Spencer is more of the comedic and sassy character and either of them could have taken best supporting actress for their work. Not to be forgotten is the evil woman of the film called Hilly Holbrook. She is played by Bryce Dallas Howard and without this malicious and ignorant character the film never would have worked as well as it did. Howard’s smug performance was perfect and I couldn’t picture anyone else in that role. Lastly a special mention goes out to Jessica Chastain playing Celia Foote. A lot of people could have pulled this role off but she was great as a shunned woman in the community.

The film carries along and the viewer will be captivated by how the maids deal with bigotry and mistreatment. The viewer will also be captivated by the power of love as not all people are hate mongers. The film is obviously quite serious but the odd thrown in joke or funny situation can lighten the mood. Simple things like the maids discussing their boss’s dirty laundry are funny scenes without being cheesy. The maids care about the white children they look after while their own children have to fend for themselves at home. Will Skeeter’s book be published about racism and unfair practices? I obviously won’t tell you but the film is well worth watching to find out.

Virtually unknown director Tate Taylor takes a controversial subject and delivers a very veteran looking finished product. The casting is spot on and the story spends the perfect amount of time on each character. The touching story of love in the face of oppression will touch most viewers hearts and the film never was slow. Overall I felt he did a great job delivering a topic that a lot of people could have gotten wrong.

I give this film a recommendation especially to people who appreciate films for the acting.

T Factor + If you read the book this could score higher on the rating scale.

T Factor – If you don’t like slow moving dramas than this could score lower on the rating scale.

If you liked this film reel recommendations: Remember the Titans, North Country