although I maintain it was totally unnecessary to change the genders.

Don't get me started on directors who change characters' sexes without a really good reason. Especially because most times I noticed it, it led to thinking 'Gosh, these two characters are clearly attracted to each other, single, and from the same socio-economic background - why oh why don't they act on it - maybe because in the original script they were both guys?"

Seriously, I used to think the directors were being homophobic but eventually I decided they were just too clueless to notice subtext.