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Review: Switch UP, SXSW Film Has Nice Core Story But Needs Work Around Edges

Release: Sunday, March 10, 2024 at SXSW

Switch Up had its World Premiere at SXSW 2024 in the Narrative Spotlight section. 

Director: Tara Pirnia

Screenwriters: Felice Heather Monteith, Tara Pirnia, Tina Contogenis, Pamela Beach

Rated: NR

Runtime: 105m

Reviewer Rating: 3 Stars ★★★★★

“It’s easy to be one paycheck away from homelesness” – Charlie

Ricardo de la Cruz (Cristian de la Fuente) leads a glamorous life in Miami as the charismatic host of the popular talk show La Vida With Ricardo. His days are filled with exquisite restaurant dining and dating one of the town’s most attractive women. On the surface, Ricardo’s life seems flawless, but fate has other plans.

While away in Texas filming a segment, Ricardo’s world is turned upside down when two rivals set him up, leaving him penniless, homeless, and stranded. Will Ricardo be able to clear his name and reclaim his life, or will he plunge deeper into homelessness?

The easiest way to convey my thoughts about Switch Up is to think about Charles Feltman, a German butcher who is said to have created the hotdog in 1871. He knew he had a tasty treat but needed something to surround it and help contain it. He knew regular sandwich bread wouldn’t cut it. The choice could either make or break his creation. As odd of an analogy as that is, Director Tara Pirnia faced a similar problem having to come up with a core theme for a good story about homelessness without having a quality storyline to surround it with.

The result is a film that feels disjointed as if two different writers were enlisted. The first writer focuses on the talk show and lavish lifestyle. They introduce Marcus (R. Brandon Johnson) and Maclane (Temple Baker), two bumbling studio employees determined to bring Ricardo down. Their dialogue is so cringe-worthy they make the crooks from Home Alone appear as criminal masterminds. The frustrating part is there are occasional glimpses of good writing in the show’s producer, Marie (Shondrella Avery) dialogue; however, these moments are sparse.

The second writer hones in on the homeless aspect. Here, the story begins to connect. Ignoring everything that led up to it, the narrative takes an intriguing turn once Ricardo finds himself homeless. For two-thirds of the film, I found myself invested. Despite its imperfections, Director Pirnia hits close to the mark she was aiming for, creating a heartwarming tale. The emotional impact resonates by the end, especially when you move beyond the juvenile antics surrounding the fictional talk show. But is that enough to forgive the surrounding flaws of the rest of the film?

Having personally experienced homelessness for three years, and garnered national attention through my travels meeting other homeless individuals, I approach Hollywood’s portrayal of such stories with caution. Switch Up appears to be filmed with good intentions and weaves a captivating narrative. Pirnia clearly has found the story’s core but struggles to find anything meaningful to accompany it.

During the early stages of production, I can’t help but wonder if a coin was flipped to determine whether the film should be a romantic comedy or a drama. Unfortunately, the wrong end was chosen. While much of the comedy is downright atrocious, there’s enough heart in the film’s second half to consider it a drama, and the drama part mostly works. Regrettably, you must endure the so-called ‘bad’ to get to the somewhat ‘good’

On the social media platform TikTok, I’ve seen a group that creates a series of two-minute videos. Viewed together, they convey powerful stories on topics such as discrimination, police brutality, respecting disabled people, and homelessness. Switch Up feels like a larger-scale version of this concept. Like its TikTok counterpart, the film aims to impart a significant message within a brief timeframe, occasionally sacrificing intricate details to effectively drive home its points.

The beauty of film festivals like SXSW is the opportunity to discover films that might otherwise remain hidden. These festivals bring to light stories that deserve attention, even if they don’t fit the mainstream mold. Homelessness is a difficult subject, and I appreciate any director attempting to illuminate this important issue especially when it’s their first time directing. However, I wish a stronger storyline had been crafted around it. Despite this, Switch Up delivers just enough touching moments that should resonate with audiences as they explore a variety of films on the festival circuit.

Switch Up premiered at SXSW March 10, 2024 and will likely be making the film festival rounds. You can read my interview with the director of Switch Up HERE.

Photos: ©2024 SXSW. All Rights Reserved.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.

Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.