It seems somewhat obligatory these days that every high school teen comedy that comes out of Hollywood must have a gay character. ‘Date and Switch’ is no exception, and it’s about two best buddies who have to cope with the fact that one suddenly announces he prefers boys to girls. And this is where you are made aware that it is done in a manner not to scare off ‘straight’ audiences as Matty declares ‘I am a gay dude!’ Really Matty? Dude? That is a first coming out from the mouth of any gay man, even one that is slowly slipping out of the closet.The plot is about a great American tradition i.e. getting laid by Prom …. as (straight) Michael claims its ‘a story told over and over again by all our greatest writers’. Except it now takes on a different twist when now in Matty’s case that means with another guy. After his initial panic Michael is desperate to show that he is cool with his friend’s sexuality, and drags him to a couple of local gay bars to prove it. What he is not so happy about is that Matty does get laid …. firstly with his ex-girlfriend who Michael now wants to pursue for himself …. and then with good-looking Greg a ‘straight acting’ guy he bonds with at a demented Mexican wrestling match.
There are some funny one liners ……sadly not enough to justify the appearance of some fine comic actors like Megan Mullaly and her real life husband Nick Offerman ….. and if Michael’s selfishness doesn’t annoy you too much (!), it is an amusing wee film. Even if you are gay.
