Jolie Surprises By Not Showing Skin And Instead Showing Much Talent

Rating: 9/10 (3 June 2009)

The CHANGELING is a frightening cautionary tale of historical abuses by those in power against the meager. No, I'm not talking about the last eight years under George W. Bush. This is 1928 Los Angeles, and a single mother named Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie, WANTED) returns home from work to find her young son Walter (Gattlin Griffith) missing. After frantic calls to the local police department, the next day a patrol car is sent out and a missing person's report is filed. Five months later Walter is found and brought home ...but it isn't Walter. He was taller ...and was not circumcised. Ms. Collins pleads with the police to find her son and take back this imposter but the police refuse.
Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan, HITCH) of the LAPD tries to make Ms. Collins seem crazy or out of touch. He goes so far as to have her incarcerated at a mental institution where she finds other women like herself who have challenged the authority of the police only to have everything taken away.
Meanwhile we learn that an insane man named Gordon Stewart Northcott (Jason Butler Harner, JOHN ADAMS miniseries) has kidnapped many children and taken them to his distant ranch where unthinkable things were done. Most of this was discovered when a Canadian child illegally in the U.S. spills the goods to a semi-decent cop, Detective Ybarra (Michael Kelly, DAWN OF THE DEAD) who tries to bring this to the attention of his superiors only to be rebuffed because "it doesn't look good for the department." On Ms. Collins' side (even while she's in the loony bin) is Reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich, BURN AFTER READING) who learns of Christine's problems with the LAPD and already has a running battle going on with them over their autocratic style. His assistance is invaluable in aiding in Christine's release from the mental institution ...as well as releasing the other women who were wrongfully imprisoned on behalf of the LAPD.
History tells us that Mr. Northcott gets what's coming to him. He's a slightly pitiable and disgusting fellow who was probably completely insane. Actor Jason Harner played him exceptionally well; a creepy and frightening premonition from the past. We also learn that several LAPD higher-ups get canned in the wake of the breaking news about the despicable things the authorities have done.
Most of the praise obviously goes to Angeline Jolie for her excellent portrayal of Christine Collins. You can feel the rising tension as she battles to find her son and butts up against the walls of "justice." Frustration is palpable. And you hope beyond hope that little Walter survived his ordeal. But did he? History tells us he probably didn't. But who knows. He could be a changeling, wandering out there, lost amidst the masses. We hope...
(Final note: Clint Eastwood needs to stay behind the camera from now on. He's got what it takes to remain a powerful director. Please!)