An Old Fashioned Downer of a Film

Rating: 10/10 (9 November 2008)

Don't expect to leave "Changeling" with a smile on your face. This is the type of movie Hollywood used to make in the 30's and 40's where there isn't necessarily a happy ending.
It is kind of like taking "L.A. Confidential," "Mystic River," "One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest," and "In Cold Blood," and putting them in one movie.
It's a very well made film but the thing that really makes it special is the performance by Angelina Jolie. She is in virtually every scene and she does not resort to overacting like some others. It is subtle in some places and dramatic when needed. She makes you care about her character.
The other star of course is Clint Eastwood. The film is made with such skill that it never seems cheap or exploitive.
"Changeling" is not the popular escapism that most films aspire to these days but it is easily one of the best films of the year.