Customer Reviews

Switch [VHS]

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At first glance, this film looks like it's going to be a slapstick clone of so many other Blake Edwards' productions. And, in fact, the film does contain a great many scenes that would tend to belong under the "slapstick" genre. Surprisingly, however, there is much more to this film.

The plot centers around a man named Steve Brooks who is a womanizer squared. He's handsome, charming, well built & has a "way" with women. Unfortunately, he also has a heart of granite & leaves a wake of heartbroken women behind him.

One day, 3 ex-girlfriends plot their revenge. They lure him into a hot tub and murder him. Steve makes it to Purgatory, but is told he is right on the borderline between having his final destination be heaven or hell.

To break the deadlock, God (who is both male & female) sets forth a task: he must find a woman who truly likes him for who he is (and not for some fast-talking come-on line) in order for him to get inside the pearly gates. At the last moment, the Devil enters the picture and puts on a twist: Steve must get a woman to like him AS a woman!

Ellen Barkin is marvelous as a man trying to figure out how to be a woman. Barkin does a particularly impressive job moving like a man thru out the film and her performance truly steals the show.

So far, it sounds like your typical gender-switching comedy, only with a twist. However, the plot contains many more unanticipated twists. It also deals with some very serious issues that make it nothing short of a dark comedy. Again, this is quite unexpected from looking @ the cover.

I would recommend this film for people who enjoy getting a little more than what they bargained for. As the religious deities obviously parody the Judeo / Christian tradition, I would NOT suggest this film for people who are easily offended. In short, the film takes turns poking fun @ men, poking fun @ women & poking fun @ religion. It turns out to be a good comedy, but a dark one.

Blake Edwards does a fine job of directing his own original script for his gender, but not comically challenged film.

We open with advertising executive Steve Brooks (Perry King), a cad in every sense of the word. We are clear that Steve has broken many hearts, three of which turn on him at once. As three of his scorned women decide to lure him into a hotub where he thinks the women have invited him for a multiple seduction, they get their revenge and drown him instead.

Now Steve is dead, but hasn't quite reached heaven yet. I suppose you could say he's in purgatory, until, as god requires, he can get one female to truly love him. That would be a cinch for the unrepentant romeo except for the fact that at the last minute, the devil intervenes and decides he must get a female to truly love him AS another female, enter a great comic performance from Ellen Barkin.

Ellen Barkin playing a female version of Perry King's Steve was great casting, since the two DO look so similar. Barkin is truly comical as Amanda. She tells Ad boss Tony Dow, that she's Steve's sister, again, believable. What's not believable? A high powered Ad agency letting a top executives sister, fill his now high-heeled shoes. Hey, no one said this film was realistic. However, the stepping in and filling anothers shoes becomes forefront, as Amanda takes over for Steve. She also has to get used to being a woman. This is not an easy task. She desperately confesses to one of her murdering ex-lovers who she really is. The ex then comes to Amanda's aid, teaching her how to do all the things girls do. Barkin is worthy of Lucille Ball slapstick status as she hilariously teeters around on those hard to fill high-heel shoes, tripping and grasping walls. She must also remember that since she is a woman physically, mentally she must think and feel as one too, and can no longer covet fellow women. All that to keep in mind, while dealing with lascivious glances and advances from men as well. In particular she has to fight off boss Tony Dow, and figure out the relationship with her buddy from work played by Jimmy Smits. Amanda also tells Smits she's really Steve, and he will be the one person that can get her to heaven and out of this jam, but I can't tell you how, you'll have to watch and see!

The most confusing part for Amanda will be how she is to deal with a sought after client (Lorraine Bracco) who is a lesbian, and wants a relationship with her. She could wrap up the deal if she submits to Bracco's advances, but doesn't feel comfortable as a man inside a womans body, making love with a woman who doesn't like men. Confusing? Not at all. I can guarantee you'll be amused at every scene.

While "Switch" was not a tremendous commercial success for Blake Edwards like "10", amongst many others in his career, and treads in a similar water with his "Victor/Victoria", it is a highly watchable, humorous and delighfully happy film that you should not miss. If you are a fan of actress Ellen Barkin, she really shines here in a fine comical AND sympathetic performance. I mention sympathetic because, when the script and direction are done right, you WILL care about the characters. When Steve is sent back to earth as Amanda and tries her hardest to find a female to truly love her, you as the viewer, female OR male, will fall in love too, with her AND this unique comedy film.

At first glance, this film appears like many afterlife concept films of its time: flawed man dies, must return to earth to do a good deed, agents in heaven and hell await the outcome. But this movie is surprisingly different, on a number of counts. First, it is less a tale about morality and goodness than it is about gender. And as a comedy about gender, it is both excelent and unique. This is in no small part due to the extremely talented Ellen Barkin, whose skill at physical comedy shines in this role as a man on earth in a woman's body.

The film takes quite a few unexpected turns before ending much too neatly, its greatest flaw.

"Switch" is another movie to explore the differences between men and women in a light romantic comedy setting. Steve, a selfish womanizer is lured by three of his previous conquests to a night he imagines will fulfill his lusts in the arms of these women. Instead, Steve is shot by them after a botched drowning attempt in the hot tub. God refuses to let Steve into Heaven until he can find one woman who truly loves him unconditionally. In much the manner of Job, Satan has a chance to bedevil the situation by returning Steve as a gorgeous woman, Amanda, who receives the same treatment from the men she meets that Steve would have given her. The movie's plot focuses on Steve/Amanda's attempt to find one woman who loves him unconditionally. There are several very funny scenes and twists as Amanda tries to look up old girlfriends who universally hated the old Steve, a lesbian client with a big account, and several men. She begins to fall in love with Steve's former best friend, and of course, Amanda finally does find a woman who loves her unconditionally in a very clever ending, but only after she learns how to give unconditional love.

There nothing deep about this movie, but it certainly will make you snuggle closer to the person you're watching it with while you're enjoying this clever little whimsey about giving and receiving love.

Ellen Barkins character starts out the movie as a man who thinks nothing of using women like toilet paper. He is an ad exec who ends up killed by three women who truly despised being used by him. He is ressurected as a female after a disagreement between god and the devil, for you see Barkin's character has a limited time to find a woman who truly loves him. Jimmy Smits play's the best friend of Barkin's character. When he has sex with her (she's passed out-drunk), things get interesting, and only more complicated.

Playboy Steve Brooks, who's spend most of his adult life loving and leaving women, is finally murdered by one of his ex-lovers. In purgatory, God (who speaks with two voices-one male, one female, and at one point even referres to him/herself as "we", not "I".) tells Steve that, if he wants to be saved from eternity in hell, he must get a woman to love him for who he is, not for how he is in bed. At first, Steve is sent back exactly as he is, only not dead. But then Lucifer appears, complaining that the set up's not fair, because it would be too easy for Steve to get a woman to fall in love with him. That's when God, at Satan's suggestion, turns Steve into a woman, forcing him to have to get a woman to love him for who he (she?) really is. And off we go! I especially loved the way it ended. I felt it was a really nice way to wrap things up. I kind of wished they'd pursued things a little more with Steve/Amanda and the lesbian executive, however.

This is, hands down, one of the funniest films I've ever seen. Ellen Barkin was born to play this role. Her timing, body movements, facial expressions all come together with her delivery to produce the perfect combination of her character's personality and situation. I laugh SO hard and SO much EVERYTIME I watch this movie. And, as often as I've seen it, it never fails to rattle my tickle-bones a LOT.

I think EVERYONE (adult) should see this at least once. It's HILARIOUS!

I saw this movie some years ago and always wanted a copy to watch when I needed a good laugh. Originally from the New York Metropolitan area, I enjoy the brazenness of Miss Barkin and the laundered depiction of the lesbian scene enjoyed by the wealthier New York women however close to the truth it may or may not be. Give your brain a rest, enjoy the beautiful women, and have a fun evening watching this.

This is an improved version of the Debbie Reynolds film, Goodbye Charlie.

Steve Brooks (Perry King) is a womanizer who is murdered. But he's given a second chance to prove that he is worthy of going to heaven. That is to find a woman who truly loves him for who he is. But to give it a twist, he is returned to Earth as a gorgeous woman, Amanda (Ellen Barkin). She/He is reluctantly helped by Steve's best friend, the very confused Walter (Jimmy Smits). In the process, Amanda finds out who killed Steve.

In Hollywood, men playing women are heralded but women playing men are reviled. Therefore, a woman playing a reincarnated man was jeered. But if you go in with an open mind, you will laugh continuously. Ellen Barkin gives a brilliant performance. You believe from minute one that she is Steve and his adjustment to a woman's body.

Director / Writer Blake Edwards proves that he still is a comic genius.

DVD EXTRAS: None

Ellen Barkin plays the role of Steve Brooks, after Steve gets killed by three ex-girl friends that he two-timed. But two-timing is how Steve Brooks plays all girl friends. As punishment his body gets stuck in limbo. The devil quickly intervenes and cuts a deal; if Steve can find one girl on planet earth that will say something nice about him, then the devil will allow him to pass into heaven.

And so, the situation is set in place providing lots of fun and laughs.

Eventually, Steve does get to heaven, but you will never guess in a million years who the girl is that says something nice about him. Only Blake Edwards could have contrived-up an outcome like this.

The movie is good and for the price worth a look-see.