Date and Switch

Date and Switch is a 2014 American teen sex comedy film directed by Chris Nelson and written by Alan Yang. The film was released in theaters and on video on demand on February 14, 2014,[3] and stars Nicholas Braun, Hunter Cope, Dakota Johnson, and Zach Cregger. The film's plot features Matty and Michael, two best friends who vow to have sex. Matty tells Michael that he is gay, which unexpectedly changes their quest.[4]

Date and Switch
Theatrical release poster
Directed byChris Nelson
Produced by
Written byAlan Yang
Starring
Music byEric D. Johnson
CinematographyDavid Robert Jones
Edited by
  • Tia Nolan
  • Akiko Iwakawa-Grieve
Production
company
Laurence Mark Productions
Distributed byLionsgate
Release date
  • February 14, 2014 (2014-02-14)
Running time
91 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million[2]

Plot

Best friends Matty and Michael break up with their high-school girlfriends, Em and Ava, while making a pact to have a sexual relationship with an older woman. Matty also comes out as gay to Em. Matty and Michael make a pot brownie as a motivational prize for having sex before prom, but Michael feels betrayed when Matty comes out to him. He avoids Matty until Em explains that his friend needs his support, and they go to a gay club where they unexpectedly meet two of their teachers. Outside the club, a young man named Greg hits Michael's car and they get into a fight.

Michael tries auditioning as a vocalist for Matty's band. At night, the friends go to another gay club where they take drugs and dance. Matty stops by Em's house and they have sex. Later, Matty meets Greg and they have fun together. Michael fails to get back together with Ava, and Em drives him to the garage and helps him talk with his mechanic. Later, after giving up on the band, Michael is told by Em that Ava had been cheating on him. They hang out at a construction site and Michael begins to proposition Em when they see Matty making out with Greg, and all four feel awkward.

Matty and Michael mend their friendship the next day at a go-kart track. Michael tries to proposition Em again but she tells him about the night she and Matty had sex, and he leaves her. Michael gets drunk and outs Matty to his parents, and Matty sends him a hate message. Em criticizes Michael the next day at school. Ostracized, Michael returns to the first gay bar and meets Greg, and they learn that Matty won't talk to either of them.

At prom, Michael brings Greg as his date while Matty brings Em. Michael gets on stage and sings a song from his and Matty's fourth-grade play, when they became best friends. Michael is accused of being gay and he responds that Greg is a cool guy and that he doesn't care if people call him gay. Michael and Matty apologize to Em and Greg, and go out to the parking lot. Michael was going to get rid of the pot brownie but Matty says that it's beautiful and artistic. They reconcile and, joined by Em and Greg, eat the brownie together. Too high to go back into the prom, they go out to a gay club and dance together, on what Matty declares to be the best day of his life.

Cast

Production

Alan Yang started writing the script in 2009, originally titled Gay Dude.[7][8] The film was part of Lionsgate's ten "microbudget" projects, all produced for under $2 million, however the budget later blossomed to $6 million.[9] Principal photography began in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, in August 2011.[10]

Critical reception

The film received mostly negative reviews from the critics. It has a score of 30% with a certified "rotten" rating on the review-aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 10 reviews.[11] However, Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times wrote that the film "balances formula with winning performances, genuine humor, and a generosity of spirit that this genre often lacks". She also singled out actress Dakota Johnson, for her "standout" performance.[12]

References
  1. Adams, Erik (February 13, 2014). "Date And Switch tweaks sex-comedy convention—but not enough". The A.V. Club. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  2. FilmL.A. (May 2015). "2014 Feature Film Study" (PDF). FilmL.A. Feature Film Study. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  3. Truitt, Brian (February 11, 2014). "'Date and Switch' puts a spin on old teen-movie trope". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  4. Sneider, Jeff (August 12, 2011). "Hunter Cope joins Lionsgate's 'Gay Dude'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  5. Sneider, Jeff (July 28, 2011). "Hunter Cope joins Lionsgate's 'Gay Dude'". Variety. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  6. "Adam DiMarco Cannot Slow Down". Vancouver Film School. September 15, 2011. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  7. Kramer, Gary M. (February 11, 2014). "Straight Eye For The Queer Guy: On Chris Nelson's "Date and Switch"". Indiewire. SnagFilms. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  8. Corcoran, Monica (July 28, 2009). "Alan Yang: 10 Screenwriters to Watch". Variety. Reed Buinsess Information. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  9. "Lions Gate Entertainment gives Vancouver a share of its low-budget success story". The Vancouver Sun. March 30, 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  10. Jagernauth, Kevin (August 12, 2011). "Ron & Tammy From 'Parks And Recreation' Join 'Gay Dude'". Indiewire. SnagFilms. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2011.
  11. Rotten Tomatoes "Date and Switch." Accessed April 29, 2014.
  12. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/14/movies/date-and-switch-from-chris-nelson.html
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.