Yes, No, Maybe So: "The Change-Up"
Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 4:30PM 
If Freaky Friday, 17 Again, Switch and Freaky Friday (again) are your four all time favorite movies, but they aren't quite manly enough for you, you're going to be so excited for the latest body switcheroo comedy. It's called The Change-Up and the people switching bodies are Green (as in Horny) Lantern Ryan Reynolds and straight man (as in comedy) MVP Jason Bateman.
How do you think this will fare against that other August comedy Crazy Stupid Love (see previous post)
YES, NO, MAYBE SO.
Let's break it down after the jump with the red band trailer. Warning: relatively mild nudity and a super classy urination sequence follow.
Synopsis: Frequently laid bachelor Ryan Reynolds and his married bestie Jason Bateman switch bodies while urinating, eh? Finally someone has literalized penis envy!
YES. Jason Bateman is a great "straight man" in comedy terms, letting the wilder or simply showier performances ricochet off him in films like Juno and great television like Arrested Development. So it might be fun to see him let loose a little.
I've got freckles on my taint! How awesome is that?!?
You never know. Bawdy humor can be hilarious if it doesn't settle for just being crass.
NO. We know EXACTLY where this is going. Like Four Christmases which I predicted the exact heteronormative reinforcement ending of merely by watching the trailer and learning that Reese Witherspoon didn't like babies ("she'll be happily pregnant or happy with newborn at movie's end!" Isaid one minute into the trailer) this movie will end with Ryan Reynolds wanting to settle down or settled down to join the ranks of the happily married and Jason Bateman will realize again how good he has it having a pretty wife even if she poops with the door open (groan). Chances are the old married's sex life will be rejuvenated by the experience, as well. ZZZ. If it doesn't really fuck with the formula, it's going to be lame.
MAYBE SO.
The thing about body switcheroo comedies -- or sci-fi dramas for that matter -- is that if the actors are in sync with each other's performances, and especially if they can tie mimicry in with their chemistry, it can be really upside-down electric. I stand by my 2003 statement that Jamie Lee Curtis deserved an Oscar nomination for Freaky Friday; she was just hilarious channeling Lindsay Lohan's spazziness. This thing lives or dies by how much coloring Reynolds and Bateman do in and outside the lines of this super-formulaic genre.
What's your takeaway: Yes No or Maybe So? I guess it probably depends on your feelings for the stars.
Additional but totally necessary question: When is someone going to give Leslie Mann a comedic lead showcase that doesn't paint her as the ball and chain?
Reader Comments (24)
Great write-up but NO. All trailers of movies like this are cute but the movies almost never are.
This isn't even cute.
I though you would've done a Yes, No, Maybe So for "The Help" by now.
'I'm a douchebag'
'I'm a tool'
So, a movie about a douchebag and a tool? Let me think... No. Definitely and clearly no.
I don't even think this movie deserves this series. Spotlight a deserving movie!
No... this looks pretty unfunny. Poor Leslie Mann, that's not a good role to get typecasted into.
and Nat, you called Jason Bateman 'Justin' a couple of times.
big NOOOOOOOO
a 4th option: Grose
Probably no, but I always imagine that I need to see a Ryan Reynolds movie. Though, i do love ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, so Bateman is having more pull for me at this point. I never liked 2 GUYS 1 GIRL AND A PIZZA PLACE
Though the freckles on my taint line made me laugh. but this is another issue, i HATE previews. They give away the whole story and any funny lines. Are we really that stupid? do we need to see the whole thing before we choose?
The trailer doesn't make it look that good. Could be some fun though! I really dislike the dialogue. Not funny at all.
@Lucky it's even tagged 'Justin Bateman' !!!
I didn't notice until you pointed it out :)
I don't think so...looks really bad. And...why, in the poster, does Jason Bateman look so much like Ben Affleck?
what the fuck
Iggy - LOL
Lucky -- oh crap. Curse you sister Justine Bateman who i had a total crush on when i was a kid!
Poppy -- but if i only did "good" movies what would be the point of three options ;) ?
no
Yeah, I got to go with the "NO" crowd on this. I'm OK with Bateman & Reynolds, I'm not TOTALLY sick of the premise, and yet... it looks like they're not exactly milking anything NEW out of it, and the jokes sound pretty weak. Another formulaic, pointless non-comedy. SIGH.
Yeah, if the choice is this or Crazy Stupid Love, I have no doubt about which one I'm going to see!
"When is someone going to give Leslie Mann a comedic lead showcase that doesn't paint her as the ball and chain?"
When she learns to act?
I have a huge crush on Jason Bateman (husband material!) but I'm NOT seeing this for him. I wish he'd do more drama honestly, I think he can nail it like Steve Carell. Then again, how many dramatic offers must he be getting at all, one wonders.
LOVE the Jamie Lee Curtis Oscar snub shout-out! The bitch was robbed. She was amazing in Freaky Friday and the perfect type of comedic performance that needs to be seen more at the Oscars. UGH, Academy x 10.
This website is like the Twilight Zone. Everywhere else on the web the trailer is getting great reactions.
Another one who loves the Jaime Lee mention - that perf just gets better with repeat viewings.
I don't even need to see the trailer to vote "No" on this one. A thousand times, "No". The write-up tells me all I need to know, and I'm sure is much more amusing than the film.
What Ramesauce said.
NO. Looks very, very stupid.
Crazy, Stupid Love is going to run circles around this movie.
C'mon! Ryan Gosling or Jason Bateman: who would you choose?
I don't even understand that trailer. No.
I love Leslie Mann BIG TIME!
She even won the "Cory Award" for Best Supporting Actress for 'Knocked Up'. I think
she is one of the screen's finest comediennes.