A predictable "Switch"

"The Switch," directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon ("Blades of Glory"), is a warm romantic comedy that leaves the audience just barely satisfied. The film itself takes viewers back to a familiar place and brings nothing surprising or different to the table. However with superb acting by some of the supporting actors and a unique soundtrack, the movie is able to somewhat redeem itself.

The movie follows Kassie (Jennifer Aniston), a single woman living in New York City, who desperately wishes to have a baby. She decides to impregnate herself through artificial insemination. Even though her best friend Wally (Jason Bateman) is against the idea because he's secretly in love with her, Kassie finds Roland (Patrick Wilson), who agrees to inseminate Kassie. Little does Kassie know that while he's completely drunk, Wally switches the semen sample with his own sample. He wakes up the next morning but does not remember that he has switched the samples, and Kassie goes through with her plan and moves back to Minnesota after getting pregnant. Seven years later, she returns to New York City with her son Sebastian (Thomas Robinson), and Wally and Kassie pick their friendship again. Wally and Sebastian also bond right away, but Roland, who has just divorced his wife, has entered Kassie's life and is ready to strike up a romance.

Aniston and Bateman work well together as friends, but it is easily noticeable that there is no romantic chemistry between the two. Wilson's acting is also a disappointment because his role as the attractive, perfect donor-turned-lover comes across as annoying and cheesy. Kassie's support system comes in the role of Pauline (Juliette Lewis) who comes across as crazy and a little weird. Lewis tends to overdo her role at times, making her easy to laugh at instead of easy to laugh with.

The best acting stems from Leonard (Jeff Goldblum), Wally's best guy friend and confidant, and Sebastian, Kassie's son, who has hypochondriac tendencies and is amazingly smart for his age. Goldblum plays his role as Leonard perfectly, making the audience laugh every single time he appears on screen. Robinson's acting works so well because his innocence shines through to his character, making it easy for viewers to love him. Even in Sebastian's most precocious moments, Robinson's endearing acting puts a smile on faces in the audience.

The bond that is quickly formed between Wally and Sebastian is also a strong point in the film because Bateman and Robinson connect well. The two act the roles of father and son well because Robinson is able to mimic the behavior of Bateman perfectly, which helps the viewer to grasp immediately that the two are related.

A surprisingly high point of the movie is the music selection in "The Switch." The soundtrack entails an eclectic and original choice of music, from disco songs such as "Instant Reply" by Dan Hartman to acoustic indie-rock songs like "All the Beautiful Things" by Eels, which is one of the best songs in the movie.

Unfortunately, the main problem with "The Switch" is the unsurprising plot that surfaces in almost every romantic comedy. "The Switch" does not provide the audience with anything special to spark their attention and make this movie more memorable than those before it.

"The Switch" is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, sexual material including dialogue, some nudity, drug use and language and is now playing in area theaters.