THE CHANGE-UP: the institution of marriage and how to ecape it - or not

Having seen 'Bridesmaids', 'Crazy Stupid Love' 'The Hangover 2' and now THE CHANGE-UP in recent weeks I'm sensing a new trend in Hollywood comedies.
Perhaps trend is too strong a word, but there's definitely a new angle of approach to the Judd Apatow-led comedy genre ('Knocked Up', 'The 40 Year Old Virgin', 'Superbad', 'Pineapple Express' etc etc) revolving around overgrown men child, their equally immature best buddies, and the trials and tribulations of graduating to fully qualified grown-up.

To be sure the 4 films referred to at the start of the previous paragraph involve - to varying degrees - issues of growing up and casting off youthful irresponsibilities, but they are more directly concerned with the challenge of negotiating the institution of marriage, either entering into it ('Hangover 2', 'Bridesmaids') or sustaining it once inside ('Crazy Stupid Love,).
THE CHANGE-UP encompasses both scenarios by dint of having one of its main characters being a feckless, commitment-phobe, bed-hopping bachelor (Ryan Reynolds) and the other (Jason Bateman) living the traditional American Dream of a wife, 3 kids, a nice house, good salary and successful career. Then by means of the less than original device of having the two friends switch bodies via a magical fountain, the film explores the plus and minus points of both lifestyle choices with rather predictable results. Both men start out loudly proclaiming that they want the other's life but soon discover that the view from the inside is not as rosy as it appears from a distance.
What makes this rehashing of familiar themes more than tolerable are the performances of Reynolds and Bateman. Both are immensely likeable screen presences with a talent for light comedy and an ability to make the most of the material they're given to work with. The good news is that here they don't have to work too hard. Much of the script sits comfortably in the smile to laugh out loud range of funniness and that, in large part, is down to having both actors play parts with which they're not normally associated. Reynolds is already a star and Bateman is fast ascending to the same status after his thoroughly entertaining turn in 'Horrible Bosses' earlier this year.
THE CHANGE-UP is not a sophisticated comedy. It's stock in trade is scatological, sexual perversions and profanity, and those of a tender disposition may find it all a bit too near the knuckle. For everyone else this film offers two hours of entertainment which while never scaling the heights of 'Horrible Bosses' or 'Crazy Stupid Love' will leave you feeling you definitely got your money's worth.