Movie Review: Changeling

One of the best movies of the year, "Changeling" stars Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, a mother and supervisor at a telephone company. After agreeing to go in to work on her day off, Christine comes home to find her son, Walter, is nowhere to be found. Horrified, Christine reports her son missing to the corrupt LAPD. In an attempt to finally gain some good press, the LAPD finds another child and presents him to Christine as Walter. Christine knows this is not her son; and over the next several months, she attempts to convince the LAPD to resume searching for her real son. Not wanting to look like frauds, the LAPD fights back, declaring Christine an unfit mother and committing her to an asylum. Christine continues to fight the LAPD, and through the help of a benevolent reverend, clears her name and continues her struggle to find her son.

The thing that sets this movie apart from the majority of the other films released this year is that director Clint Eastwood does an amazing job of telling this true story. This is not merely a film "based on a true story." Eastwood uses actual court transcripts and facts from Christine's case against the LAPD to keep this movie as real as possible, and it works. It's an extremely touching and, at times, horrifying film. As a new father, the film really hit home for yours truly. Clint Eastwood is, simply put, one of the finest director's of all-time. When it's all said and done, he may go down in history for the film's he has directed more than the ones in which he has acted.

The cinematography, sets, and costumes are also exceptional, and they paint an excellent picture of 1920's Los Angeles. Jolie is difficult to recognize in her 1920's clothes, short hair, and signature hat that she wears throughout the film.

Despite being virtually ignored by the critics and the general public, the performances in this film are magnificent all around. Jolie is Oscar-worthy as Christine Collins. Mother of several children herself, Jolie probably reached deep into her own life in order to convey the desperate nature of someone who has lost a child. Her performance is heart wrenching, and one can't help but feel her pain, whether we can relate to or not. John Malkovich is excellent, as always, as the passionate reverend who is determined to expose the LAPD for the corrupt frauds that they are. The standout performance, however, goes to feature-length newcomer Jeffrey Donovan. Despite having few feature-length films under his belt - he's mostly only done TV shows - Donovan stole the show as Capt. Jones, the man primarily responsible for presenting Christine with another child, as well as her subsequent commitment into a mental asylum. You will HATE Capt. Jones. Though he briefly shows moments of regret, he is a loathsome and repugnant person who is only concerned with his reputation, not with finding Christine's son.

Though this film has not received much attention in the media, it will undoubtedly make this critic's best films of the year list. An emotional and entertaining thriller, and very true to the actual events of the case, "Changeling" certainly deserves more respect from the critics, and more viewings by the public. You all owe it to yourselves to see this film.