Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- sexually frank
- adult comedy night
- 1990s movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the gender-reversal premise promising but insufficiently developed, resulting in a mixed-to-negative comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Steve Brooks returns to earthly life as Amanda and experiences treatment from men that mirrors his former behavior.
The afterlife rejects Steve and sends him back with a task designed to reform his womanizing and sexism.
Perry King's Steve Brooks inhabits Ellen Barkin's Amanda Brooks, creating the film's identity and perspective conflict.
The plot combines womanizing, murder by a girlfriend, blackmail, and direct observation of how women are treated by men.
Films like Switch, and why
Tootsie
Shares a gender-role reversal premise, broad comedy, and examination of sexist behavior through embodied perspective.
What Women Want
Shares fantasy-driven identity transformation, romantic comedy, and a redemption arc built around learning empathy.
All of Me
Shares body-swap comedy, gendered social observation, and an initially selfish protagonist forced into emotional growth.
Heaven Can Wait
Shares supernatural transformation, romantic comedy, and an afterlife-linked second chance at becoming a better person.
Movie Details
- Director
- Blake Edwards
- Release Date
- 1991-05-10
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (264)
Cast
- Ellen Barkin
- Jimmy Smits
- JoBeth Williams
- Lorraine Bracco
- Tony Roberts
- Perry King
- Bruce Payne
- Lysette Anthony
- Victoria Mahoney
- Basil Hoffman
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Cinemax Amazon Channel, Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Switch about?
- A murdered womanizer is returned to Earth in a woman's body and forced to confront the sexism he once practiced.
- What is Switch like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Switch as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Switch violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Switch as mild.
- What did critics think of Switch?
- Critics generally found the gender-reversal premise promising but insufficiently developed, resulting in a mixed-to-negative comedy.
- Which films are like Switch?
- Films with a similar feel include Tootsie, What Women Want, All of Me, and Heaven Can Wait.
- How long is Switch?
- Switch runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Switch?
- In United States, Switch streams on Cinemax Amazon Channel, Cinemax Apple TV channel.
