| Rating: | ★★★ |
| Category: | Movies |
| Genre: | Drama |
Disagree all you want, but the story is actually very interesting, though I also think that the plot could have been more evoking. The story tells not only about a mother in search of his missing son, but also about a corrupt police corps (LAPD) back in 1920's. The title itself 'Changeling' (if I'm not mistaken) referred to a mythical creature offspring who is left in exchange for a human child, quite depicting a part of the movie.
I personally think it is hard to make a movie weighing upon two equally important problems. Viewers are likely to be distracted and later on become confused of (if it is not bored with) which exactly is the prominent problem. For this movie, Eastwood should have been more consistent in maintaining the primary problem (a mother's effort in finding her missing son), but it seems that Eastwood too wanted to put a high(er)light on the corrupt LAPD. Although if he meant to do so, he should have put more emphasis on how corrupt it was, instead of just placing John Malkovich who played as Reverend Briegleb who pointed out hotchpotch of LAPD's records of misconducts (such as the infamous Gun-Squad). In which it then drifted the Christine Collins story away (which then revived at most of the end part). Having said that, it is possible to have two prominent problems in a movie, but somehow, with the poor consistency of the plot added up with Jolie acting as Christine Collins, it did not yield the expected effect. Most probably because she was too busy being sexy, as you would see Jolie protruding her futon lips of hers just a bit too much during the whole movie. The syphilis examination at the asylum part is not making her acting any better (I just never get it why directors always used the formula of exposing naked bodies in gloomy movies then hoping for an award). On the other hand, I sincerely think that Jeffrey Donovan played Captain J.J. Jones well. He was very convincing playing as a police officer whose pride is bigger than his head. At least i felt like throwing a shoe at his prick face. Gordon Northcott the sociopath serial killer was also quite well played by Jason Butler Harner.
Well, overall, this is a good movie, despite the Angelina Jolie thing, I liked it. For the Christine Collins' story good plot, poor actor. Whilst for the LAPD's story good actors, poor plot. So, it's a balance.
It also serves as a nice research object for sophomore college students of literary studies. You would find women struggle from disempowerment (if such word exists). Compared it to the Mystic River (also Eastwood's), voila! You got yourself an essay of child abuse (no pun intended, I'm not being sarcastic).
Overall verdict: three stars!
