Changeling

The film Changeling (2008) is a Mystery/Drama/Thriller which takes place in the late 1920s - 1930s, Las Angeles, CA. Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) lives happily as a single mother with her son, Walter (Gattlin Griffith). She is called into work one day when they were supposed to take a trip to the movies, but promises she will be home soon. When she arrives home, her nine-year-old son is missing, and she frantically calls the LAPD for help. Standard procedure is to wait a day... five months later, they think they've found him. Christine is called to the train station by Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) and excitedly waits. But when the boy steps off the train from Illinois calling her mama, she doesn't recognize him; he's not her son. The LAPD dismisses her as overemotional and too stressed to see correctly. They send the pair home. Even after she discovers that this "returned" boy is tree-inches shorter than Walter, and is circumsized when her own son was not, the corrupt police force still refuses to hear her out. Local minster, Rev. Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich), seeks out Mrs. Collins to help her. He broadcasts the truth of her story on his radio station when the police refuse to listen to her. Cap. Jones is so angry by this defiance from her that he calls her into the station. He tells her that either she's lying about the whole thing, or she's too confused to know if she's lying or not. Unsure of what to say, Mrs. Collins is powerless against the police force as Cap. Jones calls in hospital staff to have her taken away to a mental institution. Meanwhile, a dedicated cop on the force, Detective Lester Ybarra (Michael Kelly) stumbles upon an illegal immigrant boy from Canada, who recalls to him a tale of multiple child abductions and mass murder he has witnessed by his cousin... identifying Walter Collins as one among the boys he saw taken.

This film was written by J. Michael Straczynski, who did a lot of writing work on the television movie series, Babylon Five. It was directed by the infamous Clint Eastwood, who also directed Million Dollar Baby, True Crime, and Flags of Our Fathers, to name a few. This film is an adaptation based on real events, and Straczynski first heard about this actual LAPD case from a friend. He then spent weeks looking up the actual, historical case file to help him prepare the skript. He based 95% of his first draft on what he drew from 6,000 pages of the case file. The shotting script used was this same first draft. This was the first feature-length film screenplay he had ever written. Though many actors desired the leading role, Clint Eastwood is said to have cast Jolie because he felt that her face fit the period, perfectly. Critics felt the same way, in addition to the marvelous period costumes and set design, and the film was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Acamdey Awards. It was also recognized by The 2008 Women Film Critics' Circle Awards, winning the Adrienne Shelly Award, and Best Film About Women.

It's no exageration to say that this is an epic period piece, not unlike the sword-and-sandle movies about Troy or Ancient Greece. This movie just happens to be set in near contemporary times, Las Angeles. This film is packed with a great A Story, tons of subpolots, surprises, shocking visual effects, character identification, and a hatred for corruption in the police force. The acting is great in this movie- and I am an avid believer that John Malkovich, when placed into ANY movie, makes it at least watchable, if not buyable, ownable, and lovable. He's the man. The fact that it's based on true events just makes this movie hit home even stronger with its themes, and really helps it to make the startling point about how far corruption can go when unchecked in the police force. I remember Jolie's perfromance, and that of Malkovich the most about the film, but I also greatly enjoyed the set. I felt that the set design was perfect, at times. The suburbs were homey, colorful and rich. The city was nostalgic and beautiful. The mental instituion was gritty, deviant, and horrific, and the characters inside the set were wonderful.

The only complaint I have about the movie would take a Spoiler to entirely explain, so I will simply say that in the end of the film, a few things are loose where they could be tighter. A murdered is brought in for trial toward the end of the film, and he mentions things that start a new quest for the protagonist... but then you find out he might have been lying- might not have been lying, and that part is just a little bit... forced. If not forced, then useless. It's like being told there's a rock under the tree, and you look, and there's not one. And then he tells you that he moved it. But to where? It's sortof a big reach around. But the rest of the movie is so great that you hardly take it into consideration when you look back on it.

I definitely enjoyed this movie. I am a big fan of mysteries and dramas, and I love Angelina. I think her face and body are interesting, unique, and she's one of those Jared Leto-esc actors who is willing to do odd and sometimes scrupulous things to his/her body to make a statement for a role. I like her for that. I love period pieces as well, and I was never wondering throughout the movie whether or not I was in the 1920s or 30s. The movie was very polished and well- done. Frankly, I was surprised that they didn't WIN those Academy Awards they were nominated for. But, as I say every year, I don't know who the fuck votes for those things, but it sure aint me.