Dans la peau d'une blonde

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.

Advertising exec. Steve Brooks, a sexist male chauvinist pig, is invited to a party by a lady friend who suggestively tells him the only other guests will be two other women who he is fond of. The party gets sexy when the four get into a hot tub, but together they bind and murder him. God and the Devil aren't sure where his soul belongs, so they tell him that he will be allowed to return to life for a limited time in order for him to find one woman who likes him. If he doesn't find at least one, he will go to Hell. In order that he can't just use his ability to charm women to find one that doesn't know him, they bring him back as a woman. She retains his memory and chooses to call herself Amanda Brooks.

Ellen Barkin has a remarkable performance as a womanizer in a woman's body. There is a vast difference in personalities between Barkin's Amanda/Steve and Julie Andrews' Victor/Victoria.

Lorraine Bracco also is great in her quiet understated role as major cosmetics client Sheila Faxton.

In addition to watching some great performances, the movie has some pretty funny bits, although some got repetitive. In particular, I thought the the bit about Amanda stumbling when wearing high heels was repeated too often. Regarding the stiletto heels, why would Amanda continue to choose the highest of stiletto heels? Also, while obviously gorgeous, I don't think then 37-year old Ellen Barkin looked as strikingly sexy as Amanda as the male characters (and Amanda herself) thought she did. She didn't seem as hot as the younger actresses who planned Steve's murder.

The resolution at the ending also was somewhat disappointing to me.

Switch is just one of those movies you just have to love.Touching on offensive subject matter and being socially inappropriate by today's censored standards it tells the story of a womanizer named Steve who is murdered by 3 of his ex lovers for being a male chauvinistic pig. He crosses over into a sort of limbo and being thats he's been so bad to the opposite sex is sent back to earth to find one female who truly loves him. He than can move on to heaven but if he can't will go straight to hell. The woman he becomes is played by a young Ellen Barkin in her sexual prime and comic glory.Creative laughs ensue as he deals with homosexuality, struggles of sexism in the workplace and world, repercussions of his past actions from women and advances from all kinds of men including his best friend played charmingly by the than hunky Jimmy Smits. The movie is smart funny and wholly original in its exploration of its premise and even raunchy and envelop pushing by todays standards. Although not a perfect film there are some pacing issues and questionable directorial approaches on how he approaches the material times. Switch is still a great movie as timely as ever showing us just how little we've progressed in the age old war between the sexes not to say their hasn't been a lot of progress but we still have a ways to go.

I just finished watching this movie on youtube and i absolutely enjoyed it, I love gender bender films and this one's on my top list. "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. The only thing i hated about this film was the ending, It was a letdown it wasn't what i expected but i guess it was OK during the time of it's release.

If you haven't seen this film, I recommend you do because it's worth a watch. It's not really an Oscar worthy film so don't take it too serious.

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!!!