There are some genuinely funny parts to the movie, but the over-the- top stereotypes, clichéd situations and uneven acting make the overall result pretty poor.
We begin with the two central characters, Tony and Steve, portrayed as heavy-handed caricatures of the macho homophobe and the irritatingly in-your-face cringe-worthy gay man. Then, with the help of a magical Christmas tree ornament, the homophobe becomes gay and the gay character becomes hetero. To ensure we understand what the change has wrought, the newly transformed characters become equally cringe- worthy examples of a straight slob and an effeminate, silly gay who suddenly loves flowers, fashion and cooking.
Had they toned down the characterizations following the transformation to demonstrate that "becoming" gay or straight didn't turn someone into such unpleasant personalities, it might have been a bit more acceptable
but not by much. Some of the more seasoned actors, including Tom Arnold, Mike Starr and Dee Wallace, as well as some of the supporting cast, turned in decent performances. Even Nathianel Marston as Tony, when he refrained from over-acting, was reasonably good. Tom Archdeacon as Steve was definitely not a success and made the production seem more amateurish than it might otherwise have been.
Unfortunately the negatives overwhelmed the positives in this film. The humor was generally lame and, if there was meant to be a message in the idea of switching circumstances in order to see the world through the eyes of the other, it was lost by making the characters, both before and after the change, rather ridiculous.
I noticed that a few reviewers claimed it was a good movie for all the family to watch. It's sad to think that some people thought that the characterizations were fair & realistic and that the portrayals of both the straight and gay actors would do anything other than reinforce prejudices.
