This is our review of The Switch.
I have a confession: I cry at movies.
I don’t cry at intellectual French new wave movies, or alternative, gritty indie movies. I cry at schmaltzy, popcorn, commercial, not very good movies.
Last night, I was to be found snivelling on the sofa at the end of The Switch. This movie is – wait for it – a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston (God, I am loathing myself so much at this point). It’s about the hilarious consequences of a mix-up with some sperm. I know – highbrow, right? Kurosawa Akira, it’s not.
But there’s this little kid and all he really wants is a family, and Jason Bateman is so lovely, and at the end it all falls into place and basically that’s all it takes to turn me into a hormonal wreck reaching for the tissues. Well, actually I started crying in the scene where the kid has hair lice. I admit this is completely risible.
It’s weird. For starters, I am a person who sometimes takes films seriously. So I feel faintly embarrassed by the fact that I think I might love Enchanted almost as much as Kick-Ass. Although it’s going to take a very special moment to beat the bit where Nicholas Cage shoots Chloe Moretz in the chest at close range.
Then there’s the fact that I am pretty much the most emotionally reserved person I know. Close friends have been known to describe me as Sally ‘dead inside’ Whittle. I never cry. I almost never raise my voice. And I’m certainly not comfortable with public displays of emotion – I try to avoid mixing with too many Southerners because of all the unnecessary kissing, for example. I am pathologically Northern.
But put me in front of a cinema or TV screen and I turn into a complete wuss. After repeated viewings, I still can’t get through Serendipity without embarrassing myself (I blame the Nick Drake soundtrack) and I had to wear sunglasses on the way home from Toy Story 3 and pretend I had hay fever.
Like all embarrassing personal weaknesses, I’ve decided to blame this entirely on Flea. Because before she came along I watched Titanic and didn’t cry. Now? I cry at Coke commercials.
She’s ruined me.
Give me some small crumb of comfort and tell me it’s not just me, is it? Have you seen The Switch?
Not just you.
I frequently cry at the radio these days. Don’t get me on to the current storyline in the Archers – those poor children…
But any cheesey movie will get me too. It is the hormones. It *is*! What else could it be…
I went to see Terminator 2 whilst pregnant and cried like a small child.
No excuse for that kind of behaviour!
Its not just you- the last film I cried at was ‘The Patriot’ specifically when Mel Gibson leaves to go back to war and his little girl (who hasn’t spoken since her mother died) run after him shouting for him.
Turned me into a total wreck.
It’s not just you at all – Grave of the Fireflies causes an eruption of blubbing from over here.
Claire
It definitely gets worse after kids.
I didn’t cry at films before I became a mother, I think that definitely contributes.
I am diagnosed as autistic and blub at a lot of films!
Wretched hormones.
hahaha. Sorry, that’s hysterical.
I can’t judge you too harshly for that. It sounds like a tearjerker moment just reading it!
I don’t think I’ve seen it. *adds to LoveFilm list*
Ah well, at least it’s not just me.
Last night I cried at a life insurance advert. ‘Nuff said.
In my defence I would just like to add that no, I was definitely not this emotional BC (Before Child). I didn’t even cry at The Green Mile, which turns my strapping Northern other half into a blubbering wreck. But now post child and pregnant again, it apparently takes nothing to set me off.
Oh no it’s not just you. Pregnancy hormones have not only transformed me into a crying at the drop of a hat person but a fall asleep in the middle person too! Now, who else do you know that cries watching 24 (Jack Bauer and terrorists are hardly heart wrenching!)? Well I did only the other day.
Ugh I’m so bad at this. Especially in the mornings – whilst watching the most mundane bits of news. If Bertie the dog was rescued from a mountain side – I’m in bits.
Oh no your’e not alone – happy movies / sad / scary – all make me cry at the soft bits. Happy or sad news on the news / radio do it too. When a friend tells me something someone did which was fab it brings on the tears too – just a big softie me and (getting older seems to make it worse)
It’s not just you! I’m awful for crying at movies… I made the mistake of watching My Sister’s Keeper a couple of months ago. Even though I’d read the book and knew what was happening, I still blubbed my way through most of that movie. >_<
I knew I’d reached a whole new level of being pathetic when I cried at Donald Fisher leaving Home and Away. Oh the shame.
Nope. It is definitely not just you. Toy Story 3 had me weeping in several places (pretty much every Pixar movie has done that to me at some point) and yes, FoodieMummy, I, too, have cried at 24. Happy things, sad things, whatever. And, yes, I, too, blame the children!
Not just you at all. I can’t get past adverts without tears at the best of times!
My high (low?) point was crying at Gordon Brown’s budget speech when pregnant with my firstborn! I am still unable to sing most Christmas Carols without welling up, and I’m constantly surprised with other silly things that make me emotional.
Definitely not just you.
God no, not just you, I cry at Neighbours for Chrissakes, and one of the last films I watched, one with Mel Gibson whose daughter gets killed, I cried for about two hours afterwards.
That Aviva one? I might have sniffed, but then I was overcome with hatred of the bloke in it. Grrr.
Jack Bauer? Seriously???
Oh, I don’t do well with dog trauma. I Am Legend was a tough watch for me.
Oh, c’mon though – it’s a movie about terminal illness – I’m not going to judge anyone for sobbing through that!
hahahaha. Sorry, but that’s hysterical.
Another Jack Bauer weeper? Weird.
Good grief, that’s extraordinary! Gordon Brown?
Oh, bless, Neighbours?
I feel so much better about myself, thanks.
Yes, he was talking about how he wanted every child in Britain to have the same chances and opportunities, and it set me off :/
So not just you (just in case you hadn’t worked that out yet). I saw the Switch on a plane. Nothing more humiliating than realising your dripping tears and snot on the shoulder of the man next to you who can SEE you’re watching Jennifer Aniston…
He does have very cute kids, too, I suppose.
Oh, thanks, I’m really glad you like it – it’s now officially live!
hahahaha. I’ve never done that*
* possible lie.