Review: The Switch...

I have to confess, I went to see the new Jennifer Aniston movie ready to "lambast it" after all the hype it has gotten from a banter between Aniston and the ultra conservative Bill O'Reilly discussed on the Women and Hollywood blog regarding the worth of father's in a child's life, some might argue that really the discussion was whether women have the right to raise a child themselves, but really it was about the worth of a father.
Where do I start...well, the idea that by choice a women, financially secure can decide to inseminate herself, raise her children herself just as well as the archaic old fashion way of having a father or really any combination of parents (i.e homosexual) can raise a child just as well without the other sex involved has to be the most stupid and destructive "New" idea we have come up with in our society.
Why do I have the right to say that ?.... not take a "live and let live" attitude? Because I am THAT child, the one that lived my whole existence in a completely matriarchal home, with a strong independent mother and grandmother, who could not of provided a better living environment, but the fact that my father was nowhere around, that I knew nothing about him has always felt like I am missing an appendage, like an arm or a leg and frankly have had to compensate for it my whole life, especially in my relationships.
But getting back to the movie and not my own...warpness, what I try and explain to my friends who are considering divorce and trying to convince themselves that their children will do just fine, is that kids, like the boy in The Switch are cognitive little beings, trying to order the world around them and at the same time they can never ever think ill of their parents decisions, that is a ability that comes much, much later, so there are these two opposite ideas clashing in their little minds. The little boy in the movie collected picture frames for the made up photos in them from the store and made up stories about his imaginary father's family to try and order the world that he knew was not right, though his mother did everything to try to convince him it was.
The book of Romans, in the Bible, talks about this in chapter 1- that we do know the order of things, the way things should be, the way we should commune with God, innately we know, five year olds know, so as Paul writes- we are with NO excuse.
And frankly I wonder if Bill O'Reilly actually took the time to see the movie- it is rather raw- the whole insemination party- was nothing but tasteless, really reeking of Women Goddess worship- but really the whole movie does a 180 and in the end, the power of a father, even the genetics of "him" passing on traits, where even a lady on a bus could see the resemblance in his son, is powerful and like I have gone on and on about in other postings over on my other blog- Moonflower Musing, fathers are not a optional accessory, but an equal and as necessary component of a child's development.
I think the conclusion to The Switch, if not subtle, and hey I could be totally reading something into this movie, cause I am sensitive and maladjusted I admit, is a recognitions that a child wants and needs and has a right to, well a Mom and a Dad!