Just A Cut Above Average

Rating: 7/10 (8 March 2009)

Changeling stars perhaps the most talked about person in Hollywood. Why do I even mention that? Well, I think it has an impact on the marketing for the film. Anything with Angelia Jolie is going to get attention whether it is deserving or not. I think this movie is worth talking about but I'm not so sure that Jolie's performance in the film is one of the best of the year as her Oscar nomination would tend to disagree with me.
This is a factual story of a mother, Christine Collins, and her 9 year old little boy that disappeared. The Los Angeles Police Department is running wild with corruption in 1928, when the boy went missing. A few months after the disappearance, her son, Walter, was found alive in Illinois. There was a big problem. Collins said the boy was not hers. The police naturally tried to hold this case up as an example of their good police work. Collins protested and the police were determined to silence her. It was proved that the returned boy was three inches shorter than Walter, he was not recognized by school and classmates, not even the dental records matched. Still Collins was informed that she was crazy and the police had her locked up in a psychiatric ward.
This film is directed by legendary Clint Eastwood. He chooses not to structure the film in a thriller type of format and does not keep his audience in the dark but rather tries to educate the audience and engage them. The story is more of a commentary and forthright storytelling in an artfully edited way. Eastwood does some amazing work here. He does it with just the right actress in Angelina Jolie. She is wonderful to watch in this totally believable and just portrayal of Christine Collins.
Equally delightful in the film id John Malkovich as Reverand Gustav Briegleb. The Reverand was a radio preacher and used his show to bring attention to the rampant police corruption of the time. The LAPD works to hide their bad reputation. Collins is treated as mentally ill, which is virtually looked at as a crime in 1938 and handled with drugs, shock treatment and restraint. The story is told by the filmmakers, just told as it happened. The story is neatly condensed.
Changeling is a good film and Eastwood delivers with a great cast. It is also a story worthy of being told as most stories of this caliber are. This is meat and potatoes story telling and few chances are being taken and while there is certainly commentary in the manner of the film-making and choices made by the actors there just isn't much thinking outside the box and that is what makes the film more ordinary than extra.