Movie Review: Changeling

CHANGELING
Main Players: Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Michael Kelly, et al.
Calling the shots: Clint Eastwood
Running time: 141mins
What's it about? A mother’s (Jolie) prayer for her kidnapped son to return home is answered, though it doesn’t take long for her to suspect the boy who came back is not hers. – from imdb.com

What did I think? It was very interesting to see two Clint Eastwood directed features so close to each other. They tell a very different tale, at a very different time, yet they both have the same unmistakable feel to them. The grainy, almost colour fade, blue wash screen that you see is almost his trademark as most of his films are about something tragic or emotional.

It is amazing how seamlessly Clint takes you back to the 20s. The decadence feel is definitely there and the backdrop, almost picture-like, is a fine touch to the unique, almost dream like setting we are brought back to.

Getting the best out of his actors is what Clint certainly does in a majority of his films. Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman and Sean Penn have all benefited from his direction. And in this case, Angelina Jolie is fantastic as the mother who never gives up finding her son, no matter what obstacles she comes across. You can argue that it is most definitely tailor-made for her to succeed. The role is so beefy and emotion charged, it’s what every actor should thrive on.

The other actors do a fine job as well, especially Jason Butler Harner (who plays Northcott) and Jeffrey Donovan (who plays Capt. JJ Jones). These two in particular perform in such a way that it draws out the right kind of emotion from us, the audience. Northcott turns out to be a frighteningly weird character and you literally just want to slap Jones in the face. In contrast, John Malkovich, though important in his role, was completely underutilized and looked like he always wanted more things to do.

As with Clint’s previous features, this leads you in one direction and completely throws you in another with a massive plot development. It is based on a true story, but how much of it really is factual is anyone’s guess.

Regardless, if catches the outrageous 20s well and leaves you with his trademark emotional ending which is neither happy nor sad but hopeful.

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