 Clint Eastwood directs Oscar winner Angelina Jolie and Oscar nominee John Malkovich in a riveting and unforgettable true story. Los Angeles, 1928. When single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) leaves for work, her son vanishes without a trace. Five months later, the police reunite mother and son; but he isn't her boy. Driven by one woman's relentless quest for the truth. The case exposes a world of corruption, captivates the public and changes LA forever. This emotionally gripping story illustrates the profound power of a mother's love in "a mesmerizing film that burns in the memory" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone). Storyline: Los Angeles, 1928. A single mother returns from work to find her nine-year-old son gone. She calls the LAPD to initiate a search. Five months later, a boy is found in Illinois who fits the description; he says he's her son. To fanfare and photos, the LAPD reunite mother and son, but she insists he's not her boy. The cops dismiss her as either a liar or hysterical. When she joins a minister in his public criticism of the police, they in turn use government power to silence and intimidate her. Meanwhile, a cop goes to a dilapidated ranch to find a Canadian lad who's without legal status; the youth tells a grisly tale. There's redress for murder; is there redress for abuse of power? Written by Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Ben Williams on February 17, 2009 -- As Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood closes in on the age of 80, he occupies a rare seat among Hollywood's greatest directors by continuing to produce exceptional work. Unlike most of his contemporaries, Mr. Eastwood seems to improve with age; his films have continually become more complex, involving and expertly crafted. In fact, Mr. Eastwood has achieved such heights as a director, it's sometimes too easy to forget that the man also just happens to be a producer, composer and one hell of a legendary screen actor. As has been the case in previous years, when Mr. Eastwood gets the urge to direct, he generally can't stop with just one in a calendar year. His first film, out of two, in 2008, was Changeling; a heavily stylized drama that tells the story of a forgotten controversy in 1920s Los Angeles. It's a brutal and painful film; one that is bound to stir up plenty of emotions while serving as further evidence of Clint Eastwood's skills behind the camera. On the eve of the Great Depression, 1928 to be exact, telephone operator Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) discovers that her son, Walter (Gattlin Griffith,) has disappeared into thin air. Unaided by a corrupt police department and left to fend for herself, Christine searches high and low for her missing boy. Surprisingly, the police claim to have miraculously rescued her missing child and present her with who they believe to be her son. Christine, however, is convinced that the boy is an impostor; he's too short, looks nothing like her son and behaves differently. She'll be branded insane, thrown in an asylum and publicly scorned for her behavior until a radio evangelist, Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich), and a stubborn police detective, Lester Ybarra (Michael Kelly), discover that Christine might have been right all along. Changeling is a tough film to watch. The situations are intensely emotional, many characters are seedy and frightening and the whole world within the movie seems to exist to make Christine Collins' life as difficult as possible. The film is so paranoid in its depiction of the the various campaigns to discredit Collins, that it can often become overwhelming. Fortunately, Mr. Eastwood's steady and confident direction, as well as the film's impressive array of performances, translate to a compelling and involving movie experience. This is clearly an Angelina Jolie movie; she's the focal point of the story and is front and center in almost every frame of the film. She carries the load well, depicting Ms. Collins' struggle to find her son, despite odds that would destroy the average person, in a believable and stoic manner. The supporting cast is also well rounded and diverse. The always amazing John Malkovich steals all of his scenes as a brazen radio evangelist with a vendetta against police corruption, while Michael Kelly's turn as an honest cop surrounded by corruption signals his entry into the ranks of budding movie stars. Changeling is billed as a true story; I'm not entirely sure how accurate that statement is, but the film does manage to feel authentic. I always expect greatness from Mr. Eastwood and, as always, he hasn't disappointed. Changeling is yet another remarkable film from this remarkable and timeless director. Highly recommended! Changeling represents another challenging and complex entry into Clint Eastwood's impressive run of exceptional filmmaking. Mr. Eastwood's effortless consistency at continually delivering groundbreaking and original films serves as proof that he should be considered amongst the greatest directors in the history of cinema. While Changeling retains many of his trademarks, the film explores new emotional territory; effectively capturing the tone of late 1920s Los Angeles while featuring an array of impressive performances. Universal has continued their streak of exceptional quality Blu-ray releases; Changeling offers outstanding picture quality and stellar audio that present the film both accurately and respectfully. Although I didn't find the supplements as compelling as the film itself, there are still a few nuggets of interesting information to be gleaned from the set. As this year's Oscars approaches, now is the time to give Changeling a spin. Highly recommended! Cast Notes: Angelina Jolie (Christine Collins), Gattlin Griffith (Walter Collins), Michelle Gunn (Sandy), Jan Devereaux (Operator #1), Michael Kelly (Detective Lester Ybarra), Erica Grant (Operator #2), Antonia Bennett (Operator #3), Kerri Randles (Operator #4), Frank Wood (Ben Harris), Morgan Eastwood (Girl on Tricycle), Madison Hodges (Neighborhood Girl), John Malkovich (Rev. Gustav A. Briegleb), Colm Feore (Chief James E. Davis), Devon Conti (Arthur Hutchins). IMDb Rating (07/24/14): 7.8/10 from 170,292 users IMDb Rating (02/20/09): 8.1/10 from 21,845 users Top 250: #232
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
