A true cinema masterpiece of film history!

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 2009)

Clint Eastwood has established himself as one of not just one of America's greatest actors and directors, but his influence and inspiration to many in the film industry and die-hard Clint fans alike.
Some of his best films noticeably The Dirty Harry movies being one of the most famous. I could rhapsodise about countless others, but then I would be veering off with what the review should be about, which is this film Changeling.
Sufficed to say Eastwood promises so much and once again delivers. This true fact story is basically about a single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) in 1920s Los Angeles whose son Walter goes missing when she comes home from work.
Five months later the LAPD call with the news that her son has been found. Captain J.J Jones (Jefferey Donovan) escorts her to the train station. But it turns she's not his son and despite all evidence to the contrary the LAPD dismiss her claims.
The more she tries to insist the boy they have bought back is not her son the more mentally unhinged she seems and eventually Captain Jones declares her unfit mother who has gone insane and throws her into a Pcychiatric institution.
I could go on but sufficed to say she fight back and campaign's to expose the police corruption and help find what happened to her son with the help of Reverend Gustav Brieglib (John Malkovich) and pro bono lawyer S.S Hahn (Geoff Pierson) Eventually a man named Gordon Northcott is apprehended for the crime (Jason Butler Harner) and the whole case changes LA forever.
This film is 141 minutes long. You might think quite a stretch but the story is so interesting and gripping. The time will fly by. Credit has to go Eastwood first of all. His direction is flawless. He has an attitude where he actually wants to tell a story not merely turn a profit.
The design of 1920s Los Angeles is marvellous to visual at. The tone and the essence of the period is captured beautifully with the vehicles of the time to the costumes worn of the period.
Eastwood knows precisely what camera angles to use from when Jolie is anguished at her son going missing, but he never overdoes it. He gives the actors there chance to breathe and reveal there characters in real depth and understanding and allows them to explore there own abilities.
What also helps is the immaculate performances given off. There isn't a weak one anywhere. To say the acting is excellent is an understatement. There is Oscar winning stuff here. Jolie for example gives the performance of her life. She plays Christine so convincingly, the audience (I certainly did) feel the pain and suffering of every scene.
This movie has done Jolie wonders. In other films like Tombraider or Mr. and Mrs Smith she has come off a good actress but her image has always been thrust into the limelight. Not in Changeling, her acting is raw and real.
It's not just Jolie that is terrific here but Jason Butler is memorably creepy as Northcott, Jefferey Donovan as Jones dominates his scenes with a malevolent energy that radiated to the audience. Great support comes from Malkovich who is back on top form from the dismal Burn After Reading and Geoff Pierson is on strong form as Christines lawyer
Another excellent performance comes from Micheal Kelly as detective Lester Ybarra whose investigation blew the Collins case wide open.
Screenwriter J. Micheal Straczynski has to be mentioned. He actually researched the story and it was ninety five percent accurate which is an incredible accomplishment.
The themes explored of justice, police corruption and male dominance over women are explored in great depth through the characters performances and are terrifically relevant to today.
Changeling will have you moved (as it is disturbing) and inspired to the last scene and Eastwood has one again conclusively delivered another masterpiece. This film was surely go down not just one of his greatest movies and not just of this year but of all time.
I implore you to see this film. It is storytelling in the making and I could not criticise any of it. This was flawless.