Switch (1991) Reviews

• I love it!

  galinavladi2004-09-10

  I could not believe some of the comments about this movie! Unfunny???!!! Depressive???!!! I thought it was wonderful! Ellen Barkin is brilliant! Brilliant! Her first 5 minutes on screen is hilarious! I think this movie is misunderstood. Pink Panther fans expect certain things that just do not happen in this movie. It is funny from the beginning, bitter-sweet at the end, it is about love, friendship, meaning of life, soul searching, men and women, God and Devil, and even has a pretty good basketball one-on-one. I love it. I watched it many times over the years, I keep finding new little things to love about this movie, it is one of my all-time favorites and I give it an awesome 8 out of 10!!!

• A taste of his own medicine

  jotix1002006-04-09

  Steve Brooks is a ladies' man who has not endeared himself to the women he has been dating. When three of them decide to surprise him and make him pay for his own nastiness, little do they realize that he is allowed to stay on earth, but only as a woman! When the switch is done, the condition that he is sent back is to have him atone for his sins and be kind to a woman. When we next meet Steve, he has been transformed into Amanda. In one of the most hysterically funny scenes in any the movies, Amanda, whose face we don't see, is going to perform a body function, in the bathroom, but can't find the right apparatus to do it. Thus begins the new life for Amanda Brooks, who tells everyone she is Steve's sister. The only problem is that as a woman, Amanda must learn how to walk in high heels and even control the way she crosses her legs not to reveal any of her newly acquired charms. Her scene with her boss, Arnold Friedkin, is another highlight of this movie. Amanda must begin to learn how to adapt to the new situation. She enlists her old pal, Walter Stone, to guide her through the corporate world of advertising and the rat race in trying to stay a step ahead of the other people in the office. Walter falls for Amanda; it's easy to see why. The best thing in "Switch" is Ellen Barkin. She gives a fantastic performance as Amanda. Ms. Barkin plays Amanda with style, yet, she makes us see how this woman reacts to the new situation in her own way. Jimmy Smits, an otherwise nice actor, is not as effective here with his take on Walter. In fact, he seems rather uncomfortable playing opposite Ms. Barkin. Jobeth Williams, Tony Roberts, Lorraine Bracco, Perry King are seen in supporting roles. Also, in smaller roles, we see Catherine Keener, Tea Leoni, and Michael Badalucco, who have gone to bigger things. Blake Edwards' comedy is a joy to watch.

• Am I the only one who liked Switch?

  triple82003-09-03

  So many negative comments! Am I the only one who liked Switch? It sure seems that way. I thought this was quite a funny and also poignant movie. Ellen Barkin was both feisty and believable in her role and the movie had both moments of true comedy as well as sadness. There is A "Heaven can wait" quality to the movie and that's a compliment. It was wacky in some places, whimsical in others. I thought the story flowed very well and that Switch is just a movie to be enjoyed. The premise is great and the way the movie went about the unraveling of it was also well done. And Barkin was made for this role. This was my favorite performance of hers. I'm shocked so many people didn't like this. Maybe it's not the best movie ever made but it was a sometimes wacky comedy combining an interesting plot that also happens to be thought provoking and well casted actors/actresses. The movie was never boring and I liked the premise of the whole thing. Saw it quite awhile ago but this is one I'd love to see again. My rating is 7.5 out of 10.

• Barkin turns on Switch

  jhammond592006-05-03

  This is one of my favorite Barkin vehicles. In fact, without her wonderful comic turns this one would sink under its constrained plot. Besides Barkin, Jimmie Smits and Lorraine Bracco (of Sopranos fame) give good supporting performances. The idea and story Blake Edwards uses is a variation on Victor/Victoria, which was good enough to be recast as a musical, but here his usually daring ideas don't quite make the grade. Nonetheless, this is one of those comedies that calls for repeated viewing, because once you've laughed at some of Barkin's comedic scenes, a second viewing will have you laughing even before the scene unfolds. Roger Ebert commented that a deeper exploration on some of the themes would have made it a timeless comedy, and I'd agree with that.But if you just want to laugh till your sides ache, I'd recommend this one for your funny bone.

• Hey, if I'm gay, then Clint Eastwood's a transvestite.

  lastliberal2007-06-02

  Alright, the premise is hokey, but not completely as Mel Gibson did it nine years later. I was funny and it had one thing that Gibson couldn't bring, and that is Ellen Barkin. Yes, I am prejudiced. Ever since I saw Barkin in The Big Easy, I have been in love with her quirky smile and hot body. She is the main reason I will be plopping my bucks down in a week to see Ocean's Thirteen. And, she did get a Golden Globe nomination out of this (Losing to Bette Midler of all people, if you can believe it!), so it is not as bad as they say. I only had two criticisms: She never got the hang of walking in heels, and the ending sucked.