It has not been a good year for film comedy. 2011 was supposed to herald the triumphant return of R Rated comedies to Hollywood studio release schedules when, somewhere along the line, turds like Bad Teacher, Horrible Bosses and the ugly Hangover Part 2 completely cussed it up. So with poor reviews and disappointing box office returns in the US signaling its arrival, I didn't have a great deal of enthusiasm going into The Change Up. Which was quite nice because the film kicks is hefty boot square in the comedy testicles.
The Change Up revives that eighties high concept of the body swap; two people with totally different lives swap bodies, love it for a bit and then discover that they liked who they used to be and find out something about themselves and each other in the process. Simples. It stars two of my favorite comic actors, Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds, who are finally given a script and a director (The Wedding Crashers David Dobkin) that can do their sizable talents justice. Both are excellent as their own characters and as each other when the body swap occurs...but it's Reynolds playing the lazy slob that amuses the most. It's crude, sweary and full of boobage but Dobkin makes it all feel rather nice and lovely too...sort of without the rough edges of a Kevin Smith or Judd Apatow film.
Add to that you've got the exquisite Olivia Wilde in a supporting romantic role who confirms the seductive and cheeky star status Tron Legacy promised last year. Yes, it's the same old shit, but isn't it always? There's elements of romcom in it's tired body swap premise but, hey, wasn't Airplane! a romance at heart too?
Thank you Universal Studios. Thanks to you I haven't given up on the R Rated comedy just yet.
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