Engrossing

Rating: 7/10 (13 June 2016)

Clint Eastwood is a great example of an actor who made a smooth transition into directing. His films are always fluid and visually gripping, direct and deceptively simple, told with a straight face whilst retaining emotional weight. Though some of his directorial work doesn't quite achieve what it set out to, it is it is nearly always gripping on some level and interesting to watch. Whenever he delivers on a script that that allows him to use all of his expertise then he usually provides something engrossing. Never is this clearer than with Changeling, based on the true story of the disappearance of Christine Collins' son and the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders. Here you have a period piece that is tailor made to Eastwood's understanding of human struggle and involving story- telling.
The relatively straight-forward story is set in 1928 and mainly details Collins' struggle against the LAPD after her son Walter disappears. The boy they return to her 5 months later isn't hers. Her protests fall on deaf ears as the police insist that she's just in shock and that she should give the boy a trial run. The film continues to build tension and unease brilliantly until Collins is sectioned, which leaves a crusading Reverend and a detective on a case as her only hope. Eastwood had shown previously that he could handle both mystery (Mystic River) and drama (Million Dollar Baby), so a story featuring plenty of both his right up his street and it certainly shows. He handles this story with delicacy and emotion, developing characters and their feelings without letting the story itself become unfocused. The deeper we get into Christine's plight, the more we want to know the truth.
The further the film progresses, the more impressive Angelina Jolie's performance is. I was sceptical that should could carry such a film on her shoulders, but she brings everything needed to the role. What she does that is most striking is give us a woman who appears vulnerable on the surface yet contains an inner strength that cannot be broken. I believed every act of defiance and cry of anguish, as much as I believed every tear and melancholic expression. Above all she manages to make Christine authentic. Her reactions are just as you'd expect a real mother to act in such a situation. This isn't an easy performance to play off and carry with conviction given its complexities, I think Jolie did an extremely noteworthy job and received a deserved Oscar nomination.
The film develops the themes of female disempowerment and corruption of the law with an appropriate subtlety. We see Christine's worries dismissed by men in charge, whether they are doctors or police chiefs, and just how easy it is for them to make her life even more of a struggle. The two high ranking police only appear to care about the public's image of the LAPD and Christine only finds support from a radio reverend. All of these roles are played with dependability, Jeffrey Donovan and Colm Feore as the seedy cops, John Malkovich going against type as the generous Reverend Briegleb. The film does well to reflect the nature of its period. There is an authenticity and stark beauty to the visuals, almost as if they were painted. You get a feel of the time and you never question it because it washes over you. The score provided by Eastwood fits the mood too, somewhat stark and lead by a sombre piano, it suits what is happening on screen perfectly.
As the film builds we discover all kinds of secrets and corruptions. The film leaves you thrilled and shocked, upset but hopeful, it manages to bring in so many emotions without making them feel forced like so many films of its style do. Eastwood is clearly in his element with films that tell deep stories about people, he gives them heart without losing sight of the story that he is trying to bring to life. In Jolie he has an actress who handles the material with grace and courage, who becomes the person we care about and want to succeed. There is a mystery that unravels excellently and Christine's case becomes all the more engaging as it does. Most importantly the film very rarely sags or loses focus, I was completely engaged from beginning to end. It gave me plenty to be entertained by, be involved with and finally reflect upon.