David O'ConnellChangeling
February 9th 2009 05:34
Both a heart-breaking story of a mother separated from her child and an indictment of the police force of its time, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling is further testament to his directorial skill at eliciting first-rate performances from his cast. It’s well known that Eastwood forgoes rehearsal and works quickly on set, rarely, if ever, burdening his actors with excessive takes; in a few scenes in his recent Gran Torino it was evident that repetition might have made them a little stronger, but with Changeling there’s a flawlessness in its execution. Perfectly paced and boasting one of the strongest casts he's ever assembled, it bears all the hallmarks of another Eastwood classic and is his finest film since Million Dollar Baby.
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, it tells the true tale, beginning in Los Angeles in 1928, of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) whose son, Walter (Gattlin Griffith), is abducted whilst she’s covering for a colleague at work. No trace of him is found until months later when the police inform her that a boy matching her son’s description has been found in another state. The boy arrives by train but Christine, with a huge press contingent at her heels, is dumbfounded when the child who emerges turns out to be a stranger, not her son at all, only a boy with similar physical characteristics. The police insist the shock has overwhelmed her and that it’s she who's mistaken. Under the gaze of the swarming reporters she's forced to relent and plays along, though numb with the knowledge that her real son is still missing and no longer being sought by the authorities.
This negligence of duty remains a large focus of the story, further spiralling into a wider concern of corrupt and suspicious behaviour within the police force, under the leadership of its most prominent officer, Capt. J.J Jones (Jeffrey Donovan). Determined to never back down or apologise - to save face at whatever cost - Jones continues to deflect Christine’s queries, inverting her doubts until she's overwrought and on the brink of despair. In this acute state of vulnerability Jones pounces, in frustration at being defied, trampling any concern for the woman’s humanity or thought of following official procedure; making potent use of his overreaching powers, he has Christine admitted to the city’s Psychopathic Ward for treatment.
Christine’s story is interspersed with an investigation by Detective Les Ybarra (Michael Kelly) into locating a runaway child who has illegally crossed the border from Canada. The case quickly morphs into something with wider, far-reaching consequences, including a possible connection to Christine’s son Walter.
The film isn't without faults - a few melodramatic, even hysterical, moments are given prominence whilst a couple of others simply don't ring true (such as a crowd in the courtroom applauding after a big speech). But throughout, Eastwood’s assured direction and pacing of the drama is exquisite, with long stretches verging on perfection. Christine’s story supplies an emotional context, one that all families can relate to. The story of the missing children, with its elements of police procedural, is compellingly drawn-out with exceptional performances by a number of child actors who show amazing poise and maturity in their debuts.
The rest of Eastwood’s cast is faultless, including John Malkovich as the outspoken minister of the church who adopts Christine’s cause as his own in the fight - almost a vendetta - he wages against the police force on a daily basis. Geoffrey Pierson exudes the most forceful, spellbinding presence (and what a voice!) I’ve seen in any recent film as S.S. Hahn, the crack lawyer who takes on Christine’s case pro bono to satisfy his own sense of serving true justice.
Donovan plays the arrogant Jones with real charisma whilst Dennis O’Hare plays the aloof, controlling Dr. Steele, head of the Psychopathic Ward, with callous superiority. There’s also Amy Ryan as an empathetic fellow inmate and the unforgettable Jason Butler Harner as a key figure in the police investigation.
Jolie gives a tearful, emotionally raw performance as Christine, her emotional responses believable, her despair palpable and her reactions justifiable. She provides one of her few truly star-making roles amongst the host of generic, throwaway entertainments she normally attaches herself to. Her list of bad films or failed ideas is as long as my arm but thankfully, Changeling isn't one of them. Perhaps not an elite film in a strong year, it certainly wouldn’t be out of place in an Oscar race dominated by a flashy Bollywood love story and the plodding, understated Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, it tells the true tale, beginning in Los Angeles in 1928, of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) whose son, Walter (Gattlin Griffith), is abducted whilst she’s covering for a colleague at work. No trace of him is found until months later when the police inform her that a boy matching her son’s description has been found in another state. The boy arrives by train but Christine, with a huge press contingent at her heels, is dumbfounded when the child who emerges turns out to be a stranger, not her son at all, only a boy with similar physical characteristics. The police insist the shock has overwhelmed her and that it’s she who's mistaken. Under the gaze of the swarming reporters she's forced to relent and plays along, though numb with the knowledge that her real son is still missing and no longer being sought by the authorities.
The moment of realisation that a horrible mistake has been made.
This negligence of duty remains a large focus of the story, further spiralling into a wider concern of corrupt and suspicious behaviour within the police force, under the leadership of its most prominent officer, Capt. J.J Jones (Jeffrey Donovan). Determined to never back down or apologise - to save face at whatever cost - Jones continues to deflect Christine’s queries, inverting her doubts until she's overwrought and on the brink of despair. In this acute state of vulnerability Jones pounces, in frustration at being defied, trampling any concern for the woman’s humanity or thought of following official procedure; making potent use of his overreaching powers, he has Christine admitted to the city’s Psychopathic Ward for treatment.
Christine’s story is interspersed with an investigation by Detective Les Ybarra (Michael Kelly) into locating a runaway child who has illegally crossed the border from Canada. The case quickly morphs into something with wider, far-reaching consequences, including a possible connection to Christine’s son Walter.
The film isn't without faults - a few melodramatic, even hysterical, moments are given prominence whilst a couple of others simply don't ring true (such as a crowd in the courtroom applauding after a big speech). But throughout, Eastwood’s assured direction and pacing of the drama is exquisite, with long stretches verging on perfection. Christine’s story supplies an emotional context, one that all families can relate to. The story of the missing children, with its elements of police procedural, is compellingly drawn-out with exceptional performances by a number of child actors who show amazing poise and maturity in their debuts.
The rest of Eastwood’s cast is faultless, including John Malkovich as the outspoken minister of the church who adopts Christine’s cause as his own in the fight - almost a vendetta - he wages against the police force on a daily basis. Geoffrey Pierson exudes the most forceful, spellbinding presence (and what a voice!) I’ve seen in any recent film as S.S. Hahn, the crack lawyer who takes on Christine’s case pro bono to satisfy his own sense of serving true justice.
Donovan plays the arrogant Jones with real charisma whilst Dennis O’Hare plays the aloof, controlling Dr. Steele, head of the Psychopathic Ward, with callous superiority. There’s also Amy Ryan as an empathetic fellow inmate and the unforgettable Jason Butler Harner as a key figure in the police investigation.
Jolie gives a tearful, emotionally raw performance as Christine, her emotional responses believable, her despair palpable and her reactions justifiable. She provides one of her few truly star-making roles amongst the host of generic, throwaway entertainments she normally attaches herself to. Her list of bad films or failed ideas is as long as my arm but thankfully, Changeling isn't one of them. Perhaps not an elite film in a strong year, it certainly wouldn’t be out of place in an Oscar race dominated by a flashy Bollywood love story and the plodding, understated Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
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..how hardworking is Clint? You think he would have taken it easy after the rage of Dirty Harry, but he's only ramped things up.
Comment by David O'Connell
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He's amazing Cib, I don't know how he sustains his pace, even with the quick shoots. His legend grows with each film. A real inspiration and hopefully we'll all be that motivated to produce quality work at his age.