Changeling

Changeling is Clint Eastwood's latest film, and it's a remarkable piece of work. While it has a few minor flaws, it's an entertaining, thoughtful and gripping movie throughout. More than anything else, its stark empathy is what makes it a memorable cinematic experience.

The film follows the true story of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), a middle-aged single mother who is raising her young son Walter (Gattlin Griffith) in 1920's LA. Everything is picture-esque until Christine returns home from work one night to find Walter missing. After several months of investigation, the Los Angeles Police find a 12 year old boy (Devon Conti) whom they return to Christine - but Christine immediately recognizes that it isn't her son. The embattled police, particularly Captain James (Jeffrey Donovan), fighting charges of corruption and brutality, stonewall Christine's own investigation, ultimately committing her to a mental institution. As Christine fights for freedom and justice, a seemingly unimportant tip leads Police Investigator Lester Ybarra (Michael Kelly) onto the trail of a serial murderer Northcutt (Jason Butler Harner) who may be responsible for Walter's death. For Christine, it's simply finding out the truth about her son, but the Police and LA authorities find their reputation on the line, and will do anything to save their reputations - particularly in the face of crusading priest and radio host Gustav Brieglieb (John Malkovich) and flamboyant attorney S.S. Hahn (Geoff Pierson).

Changeling is an effective film throughout, if for no other reason then it inspires strong feelings of empathy and involvement; it's gripping, for lack of a better word. Christine is a normal woman thrust into the most nightmarish situation imaginable: her child gone, replaced with a stranger, then betrayed, mocked and arrested by those she should be able to trust most. The movie makes the establishment villains broad, mean and vicious (while curiously painting our child-killing sadist as a somewhat sympathetic figure); perhaps a bit too mean to be realistic, but mean enough to be convincingly frightening. Not since Nurse Ratched has an abusive authority figure been so nasty or sadistically domineering as these assholes. Just watching them try to explain away Christine's suspicions is disturbing in and of itself, let alone her forced stay in the mental hospital, where her doctor in charge (Denis O'Hare) offers her a choice: accept the police's official story (and a stranger as her son), or drastic treatment. That Captain Jones could have Christine locked in a mental institution without a warrant or even informing her family and friends is an extremely disturbing abuse of power. Granted, it isn't the most subtle movie you could see (and the actual issue of police corruption and ineptitude is largely skimmed over), but as a piece of intelligent entertainment, it's quite striking. Painting in such broad strokes may have some detrimental effects, but it has the benefit of drawing the viewer into the story and making the stark terror of Christine's plight seem very real.

Technically, the movie is sound. Although the washed-out color palette is a bit tacky, Eastwood gives solid, minimalist direction throughout. He allows the actors enough breathing room to put their own spin on them, and utilizes cinematography and editing beautifully. He also contributes a minimalist musical score which underscores the futility and desperation of the film. The period detail is picture-perfect, creating a nice sense of realism. It isn't the most accomplished film you'll ever see, but it's done well-enough, beyond any real criticisms.

The one thing I will fault the movie is its length. It seems a common malady in films nowadays that the director, editor, whoever is responsible seems unable to know when to end a perfectly good film. This is a textbook example: the movie should have ended with the trial, but instead we go on to see Christine's further confrontation with Northcutt, his execution, and her continued search for her son. And what do we get out of the additional material? An open-ended conclusion, basically marking everything after the trial as little more than pointless. I might also add that the subplot with the child killer is given perhaps too much screentime; given the overall theme and arc of the movie, wouldn't it have made more sense to show more of the LAPD's corruption? The movie could easily have been shorn fifteen minutes or so to no detriment, but that this is the worst that can be said of the movie says a lot in and of itself.

Angelina Jolie is simply marvelous. I've never been a big fan of hers, but with the right material she has shown herself to be a more than capable actress. Virtually unrecognizable, she sheds her usual sex kitten persona and becomes convincing as an Everywoman mom who finds herself in a living nightmare. This is truly a remarkable performance, and if Jolie doesn't garner at least a nomination for her work here, then the Academy seriously needs to get fucked.

The supporting cast, made up of largely unknown character actors, is mostly solid. John Malkovich doesn't have a lot to work with, but he does well cast against type as the crusading preacher. Jeffrey Donovan, Colm Feore and Denis O'Hare acquit themselves brilliantly as the gallery of hissable, contemptable villains, and Amy Ryan's small role as Christine's asylum colleague is wonderful. Geoff Pierson's dramatic cameo as the defense attorney and Michael Kelly's sympathetic cop are nice tertiary characters, while the film's child actors - particularly Eddie Alderson as the killer's accomplice - give remarkably strong performances. Jason Butler Harner is a bit hammy as the child killer Northcutt, but it's not enough of a flaw to detract from the film.

Although overlong, a bit slow and a bit cliched, Changeling is a mostly enjoyable and gripping movie. It sure beats the last turd I went to see in theaters, and is probably the best film I've seen in theaters since Charlie Wilson's War in January. Mr. Eastwood's new film gets an 8/10 and a whole-hearted recommendation from me.

Rating: 8/10 - Highly Recommended