Wally (Jason Bateman) is a Wall Street investment analyst who has been best friends with Kassie (Jennifer Aniston), a TV producer, for many years. They both live in New York City and get together often. Wally is a sad sack of a man — a homeless fellow on the street with Tourette's calls him "a beady-eyed little man-boy." A likeable but socially awkward man, he usually has a negative take on things and enjoys playing the role of being a little crazy. Did we mention that Wally also has the odd habit of moaning while eating? On his voice-over narration Wally reflects: "Look at us, always rushed, always late; I guess that's why they call it the human race."

When 40-year-old Kassie, single with no partner prospects in sight, decides that she wants to get pregnant by finding a sperm donor, the first person she tells is Wally. He underwhelms her with his response; he's actually a little hurt that she didn't ask him. When they realize how much they are disappointed with each other in this situation, they decide to take a break in their friendship.

Wally next sees Kassie at an "insemination party" thrown by her best pal Debbie (Juliette Lewis). He gets drunk after meeting her sperm donor, Roland (Patrick Wilson), a handsome fellow who's married and needs the money. In the bathroom by himself, Wally does a surprising thing that is both childish and destructive. The next day, he learns from his work partner, Leonard (Jeff Goldblum), that he came by his house that night jabbering about something that had happened. Wally can't remember the evening at all.

Kassie leaves Manhattan for the Midwest to have and raise her baby. For seven years, Wally continues with his life, sporadically horrifying his dates with his pessimism. Then one day Kassie leaves a message that she has a new job in New York City and will be moving back to the city with six-year-old Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), a precocious little kid who talks and thinks like a middle-aged man.

Much to his surprise, Wally hits it off with the boy who also moans when he eats and has some of his other habits and quirks. They really bond after Kassie goes away for a weekend with Roland the sperm donor, now divorced and interested in playing a bigger role in her life, a development that does not sit well with Wally. When Sebastian is sent home from school with a case of head lice, Kassie calls on Wally to pick him up and take care of the problem. After they bathe his head, wash all the clothes, and gather up anything that might have lice, Wally puts Sebastian to bed. The boy identifies all the people in the pictures in his frame collection; he has used his ample imagination to empathize and connect with these strangers, making them part of his extended family. Wally is deeply moved and astonished at the nurturing feelings he has for Sebastian. He realizes that he must truly connect with Kassie and reveal his real feelings for her.

The Switch is directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck based on a short story by Jeffrey Eugenides, which has been adapted for the screen by Allan Loeb. The producers Albert Berger and Ron Zerxa were behind the successful Little Miss Sunshine, which was, like this movie, a perfectly cast feel-good movie. This spiffy romantic comedy is carried by a tour de force performance by Jason Bateman as the lovable loser who has such a hard time discerning what he really wants.

In a telling scene, Wally gives Sebastian some advice on disarming a bully by acting crazy. The six year old tries it out but gets beaten up. He comes over to Wally's apartment and tells him what happened. Wally realizes he made a mistake — many mistakes actually — and that he can honestly tell the boy what he thinks — that he's he's proud of him. And he can also tell Kassie he's sorry. Telling the truth and honestly expressing affection signal something new and fresh blooming in Wally's heart. Transformation and love are possible when honesty is the seedbed.


Special features on the DVD include "The Switch Conceived": a behind-the-scenes featurette and deleted scenes.