CAN: Changeling

THE
EXCHANGE aka CHANGELING

Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich

PLOT: In the 1920’s Christine Collins’
(Angelina Jolie) son disappears. The police eventually “find” and
“return” her offspring months later, but is it TRULY her son? MMMMMMMM!

CRITIQUE:
The first time I heard about Eastwood’s follow up to the tight MILLION
DOLLAR BABY, CHANGELING (or is it THE EXCHANGE as it’s called in

Cannes

right now), I of course thought it was a remake of the George C. Scott genre
classic THE CHANGELING. Thankfully, I was wrong (enough of remakes already), and
Eastwood the filmmaker offers us yet another engrossing picture with his mature
vibe stamped all over it.

Before entering the theatre this morning, I still had zero
idea as to what this film was about and to be honest, my ignorant bliss
definitely jacked up my viewing experience. So I will do my best to be vague
here in the name of doing the same service for you. CHANGELING was a dramatic
thriller (and semi mystery) that took me for a bumpy and emotionally charged
ride. Based on a true story (sad to
think that something this horrible went down in the simpler times that were the
20’s), CHANGELING faultlessly reflected its period (I adored the attention to
details when it came to the sets/costumes), political climate and the police
corruption that came with it. With
that said, the flick was first and foremost a gripping character driven piece
(and study) having to do with a woman’s, scratch that, a MOTHER’S ordeal.

I actually got shades of ROCKY while watching this one. Not
that Jolie slipped on boxing gloves and went to town on her persecutors, but in
the sense that her character had the odds stacked against her (remember the
flick is set in 20’s – women’s lib hit in the mid 70’s) but she still
wouldn’t stop fighting. Big props to Angelina Jolie, for what is easily the
best performance of career (although I will always have a soft spot for her sexy
romp in GIA). Strong, endearing, vulnerable, Jolie tackled her layered role
like a champ, communicated her character’s evolution to a T and had me rooting
for her the whole way. What a performance!

Visually, Eastwood was on top of his game (and I got 5
dollars and 69 cents that the Academy will be knocking on his door for this
one), offering up a rich, colorful yet somehow still oppressive show (yep, the man’s
got skills behind the lens) that kept my retinas where they belonged – on the
screen. The same can be said about the stellar score at hand (composed by The
Man With No Name himself). It effortlessly supported and often elevated the
film’s emotional core like all potent score’s should.

On a slight negative note, the film did lose some steam at
certain points and I felt it. The words “get on with it already” popped in
my mind a couple of times. In my opinion, it could’ve had 15 minutes or so
shaved off its back in the name of pacing. Finally,
a handful of the side characters had paper and thin written all of them.
Granted, they served their purpose when it came to helping move the story
forward but I can’t say the characters themselves were too memorable. Thank
Zeus for the fine casting, which often made the one note characters more
interesting than they should’ve been.

On the whole, CHANGELING was a well written (screenwriter
J. Michael Straczynski really aced this one), superbly acted (next to Jolie, Amy
Ryan impressed me the most here) and wholly engaging piece of celluloid drama.
It was a rough way to start the day but I esteemed the rewarding pummeling none
the less.

RATING: 8.5/10