Genres

Visitors Review

Kevin Maher 2012-05-22 00:11:23

Changeling, like Letters from Iwo Jima before it, is a mature, thoughtful and sometimes brutal movie that casts a cold eye on the past while sending shivers through the present.

TxMike 2012-05-21 13:28:24

Good movie of a true story in the 1920s Los Angeles.

Angelina Jolie is Christine Collins, single mom who was a lead operatorat the phone company, back when a bunch of ladies put calls through ata switchboard. She is so competent that her boss says she will beconsidered for a supervisory job, even though it was still thought backin the 1920s that most women couldn't handle such a job. But oneevening when she had plans to go to a movie with her son, 9, she wascalled in to work. She told her son not to leave the house.Gattlin Griffith is her son Walter Collins. When mom came home Walterwas not to be found in the house, nor the neighborhood, and no one hadseen him. She did the only thing she knew, called the police andreported her son missing. They investigated for months without turningup anything, until one day Christine gets a call that they had foundher son ... in Illinois.Her elation turned sour when she met the boy at the train station, hewas not her son. Even though the police told her kids can change in 5months, this one was 3 inches shorter and was circumcised. Later bothher son's teacher and her son's dentist verified that the boy could notbe Walter.But the Los Angeles police, known for corruption, were attempting tocover their incompetence by finding a son for Christine and closing thecase.Another key character is John Malkovich as Rev. Gustav A. Briegleb whomade it his mission in life to work to expose the corruption in thepolice department. He took an active part in Christine's fight andthrough his efforts, including his radio broadcasts, enlisted thepublic to help fight the cause.The whole story is historically accurate, and Angelina Jolie is superbas Christine. The movie is really her story more than anything else.SPOILERS: Even though most already know the details, Walter was one ofperhaps 20 boys that were stolen off the streets of Los Angeles andtaken to a ranch to be molested and killed. Although they neververified Walter's death, he was never found either. His mother nevergave up hope of seeing him again. The impersonator had used Walter'sname to get to Hollywood to meet Tom Mix. The case was brought againstthe chief and certain other members of the police department and led topositive reforms.

2012-05-17 03:46:25

Changling Hangups

This review is from: Changeling (DVD) The movie content was based on real life. Excellent theme and presentation. The disc itself had several hangups in coding and it would freeze about five times at major scene changes. I would have rated it five star if the disc had functioned properly.

2012-05-16 08:32:31

Heart wrenching

This movie was so difficult to watch! It was a story I had not heard before so went to the theater blind to see it. What went on to happen was unexpected and heart wrenching. Angelina Jolie's performance was phenomenal. She made this movie what it is. Without her emotion and reverence throughout the movie it wouldn't have been half as moving as it was. The film was exceptionally well written and equally well shot and directed. The imagery was moving and the shots epic.Watch this movie.

antoniotierno 2012-05-15 03:25:53

excellently played, impressive

This is a wonderful movie from Clint Eastwood, also being originalcompared to others he has released (due to the subject handled and thesetting in the late Twenties). The director put together many powerfulscenes, including an execution that's terribly strong. That said mostof the sequences, though being a bit too much melodramatic, arepowerful and the legal/courtroom ending is also effective. Eastwood hashere evoked also a typical Hollywood style, in the sense that all theevents don't show up in a rush, allowing the story to develop at a pacethat could be defined natural. Angelina Jolie is truly impressive andreally fits her role, never lacking credibility or pathos (absolutelynecessary for the part she played).

geoffreylamb 2012-05-14 11:43:52

Prepare to enjoy

Clint Eastwood has done it again. A marvelous story , well acted byall. If you like slow burning, story building with a proper ending.Well this movie is for you. It is probably 98% 30's LA which is goodenough for me.Ms Jolie played her part extremely well along with allthe young cast, although the bad guy might of been a small bit morecreepy. Having said that it was not all about him , but about theemotional journey ridden by a mother who doesn't know which way toturn. There are questions answered some not answerd,however theunanswerd questions keep the movie charged.There is a good mix of goodcop bad cop and knight in shining armour, good friends bad friends. Itis defenatly a roller coaster of a journey to be fulfilled and enjoyedby all who can appreciate a good story

2012-05-10 06:10:47

Something rotten in LA

The Bottom Line:Changeling is not quite in the same league as Chinatown and L.A. Confidential but it crafts quite a successful film on the same theme of crooked officials, bent cops, and decay beneath the glossy veneer of Los Angeles; the movie runs out of steam a little when it can't find a way to conclude the story, but if you enjoyed the films mentioned above you owe it to yourself to see Eastwood's capable take on this interesting true story.3.5/4

Marlow Stern 2012-05-09 23:59:46

If Changeling develops any sort of pop-culture currency, one could foresee a drinking game in which college students take a shot every time Ms. Jolie shrieks, "HE'S NOT MY SON!"

Eugene Novikov 2012-05-08 10:24:53

It's long and messy, covering all the bases and then some, but it's also fantastically entertaining. Its 140 minutes feel more like 90.

Max_cinefilo89 2012-05-07 22:55:59

A mother's pain

When Changeling was screened in competition at the 2008 Cannes FilmFestival, a lot of people assumed it was a lock for the Palme d'Or,given none other than Sean Penn, whom Clint Eastwood had directed to anOscar with Mystic River, was the President of the Jury. Instead, goodold Clint had to settle for a Special Award for the whole of hiscareer. While this might not qualify as a proper award (in fact, it wasmade up on the spot so that he and the female winner, CatherineDeneuve, didn't leave Cannes empty-handed), it's a fitting tribute to agreat filmmaker who, at the age of 78, shows no signs of tiredness ormediocrity, as proved by Changeling, another sober yet merciless lookat the underbelly of American society.The movie takes us back to that most cinematic of cities, Los Angeles,in the year 1928 (two years before Clint himself was born, by the way).The shockingly true story told here is that of Christine Collins(Angelina Jolie), a single mother whose only concern is the happinessof her 9-year old son Walter. It's no surprise, then, that she almostloses her mind when he disappears without a trace. The real surprise,to the LAPD at least, is that she refuses to recognize the boy theybring back months later: he claims to be Walter Collins, and CaptainJones (Jeffrey Donovan) summons several experts to explain some of thevisible changes (the kid is shorter, not to mention circumcised) in alogical way, but Christine refuses to believe those lies, and with thehelp of a priest (John Malkovich) who uses his radio program topublicly denounce the bad side of law enforcement she sets out touncover the truth, no matter the cost.Like most masters of today, Eastwood uses the period piece gimmick toreally tell a story that concerns our present situation: in this case,as has often been done previously (see L.A. Confidential), corruptionwithin the police and its effect on the general public. Changeling isalso a different take on a broader subject - the inefficiencies of thejustice system - Clint has handled many times before, as both a star(the Dirty Harry cycle) and a director (True Crime, Blood Work, MysticRiver). He takes advantage of the setting to tell the staggering tale,brought to the screen by sci-fi and comic-book writer J. MichaelStraczynski (of Babylon 5 fame), and it does in fact look like it hadreally been made in the late '20s or early '30s: the cinematography, inparticular, is reminiscent of what he did with his WWII double bill,especially Latters from Iwo Jima, which was almost black and white. Itwas made today, but could just as easily have been produced seventyyears ago (with the swearing removed, of course), and like most welltold period stories it holds up perfectly in our times as well.Then there's Jolie, who constitutes an entire chapter by herself: shewas reportedly cast because she was the only actress who had thatspecial something that defined movie stars during Hollywood's GoldenAge (in fact, she was attached to the project before it even had adirector), something which was visually enhanced with little but vitalmake-up. She returns the favor with a performance that exudes rare painand power, a career-topping effort that is, for good reasons, earningher more Oscar buzz than any other actress this year. To say that thisis her best work since Girl, Interrupted (for which she won an AcademyAward) isn't enough: it is likely that with this and the equallydifficult role she had in A Mighty Heart she may have reached theclimax of her notable talent, which has been wasted in the past on craplike the Tomb Raider films. Needless to say, everyone else in theexcellent cast pales next to her, which is probably why there's noother A-lister in the movie, minus Malkovich who turns out to be a verygood choice thanks to his trademark old-fashioned, stage-like actingstyle.Most people mellow with age. Clint Eastwood doesn't: after the likes ofUnforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, he delivers another uncompromising,unmissable study of human behavior at its noblest (a mother's attemptsto find her son) and at the same time most inhumane (the LAPD'sreaction to Christine's "crusade")

AlanSKaufman 2012-05-06 21:50:31

Does Hope Spring Eternal?

It's been said that hope springs eternal. Yet for many of us, it is anillusion. In vain, we dream for good health, for financialindependence, for true love. Seeking escape or inspiration, we turn tomovies.Changeling, the account of a mother searching for her missing nine yearold son, presents a paradox. Based upon true events, its outcome ispredetermined. So on one hand, unlike an artificial happy ending of awork of fiction, we could be offered an authentic portrayal of hopevalidated upon reuniting with her boy. On the other hand, we might befaced with the mother finding him dead, or not even knowing his fate.How can she rationally cope? The challenge for the director lies instaging this drama.Overall, the acting is fine, the cinematography excellent.Notwithstanding the R rating, horrid images are depicted with minimalvisual gore which in your mind's eye actually exacerbates the horror.The corrupt cops and the monstrous psych ward staff are overtly hostileto the mother. The pastor initially appears supportive when she aidshis political cause against the establishment. But after her service,he tells her it is time to abandon hope for her child. Nevertheless,she valiantly clings on, as do we in empathy.Tragically, the director, seeming to underscore the pastor, himselfforsakes the mother. This otherwise powerful movie is emasculated byits finale. Changeling merely delivers its denouement with a textoverlay explaining what happened. Reread that sentence. Let it sink in,and you'll share the emotional vacuum thrust upon the viewer. Whateverescape or inspiration one sought instantly crashes.I later learned that historical records reveal little about the womanand her son after the calamity. But this is no excuse for leaving usempty. In the film Hollywoodland, despite sketchy facts, the death ofGeorge Reeves (the 1950's TV Superman) was rigorously interpreted andportrayed three alternative ways. Because the narrative begins in 1928, the mother is presumably nowdeceased. Thoughts and feelings she took to her grave remainundramatized. Hope springs eternal only in theology: in the world ofChangeling, hope dies a lonely death.

2012-05-06 05:00:38

Taffeycat

This review is from: Changeling (DVD) A really fine movie, enjoyable and interesting. Wish we had more movies like this. The caption was not automatic, had to be turned on.

Christian Toto 2012-05-05 11:41:44

Changeling is a pretty good Lifetime Original Movie. But it's a far cry from Clint Eastwood's best films.

Jolene Mendez 2012-05-04 23:46:18

Changeling offers powerful performance and storyline that won't leave you dissatisfied.

2012-05-03 22:32:36

Changeling

'Changeling' is yet another masterful offering from Clint Eastwood and I have to say his directing of this true story really is exceptional. This film follows the case of Christine Collins, who's son went missing in the 1920's and then what happened when the police force returned a boy five months later who they claim is her son but who in reality isn't. Christine then tries to fight the corrupt police department as they refuse to admit their mistake and even claim she is mentally ill to try to make her go away. This takes up the majority of the first half of the film and the second half deals with a whole other aspect of the story that I won't divulge here to prevent spoilers. Needless to say the second half is just as overwrought and emotional as the first half and by the end you will truly feel wrung out and affected. It was a revelation to see Jolie act so well and if you were a doubter of her abilities in the past then this film may show just what she is capable of. This is quite a bleak film but has very powerful performances and has all the more impact by the fact that it is based on true events. I have quickly become a fan of Eastwoods directing and if you have enjoyed other films of his in the past then I'd say it is a good bet you will enjoy this. He seems to know how to choose scripts with depth and gravitas and manages to portray that on film especially well. This may not be deemed positive or happy viewing, but a film doesn't always need to be to have an effect or impact and this film offers both of these in spades. This is a moving film with heartfelt performances, a shocking story and masterful direction and I'd suggest you check it out at some point soon.Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

dan_quirke 2012-05-03 18:37:59

An Incredible and breath-taking film

This film completely blew me away, it had a really impact upon me. itleft the cinema feeling really shocked by what i had seen, in a goodway though. This film really involves your emotions, you are leftfeeling heart-broken, frustrated, but also hopeful, as this amazingdepiction of the true story of Christine Collins is brought to life onscreen The pacing of the film was excellent, it may have felt long, butyou it ended exactly when it should have done, fully conveying theemotional depth the story required. They casting was also excellent,every character was multi-dimensional and served their own purpose.However, what really made this film truly special was Angelina Jolie'sphenomenal performance as Christine Collins. I have never seen suchamazing acting on screen. Her portrayal was more than heart-wrenching,and some of the scenes really gave me chills. Her commitment t the rolereally showed, and you could tell his was a part she was passionateabout. I really is an Oscar worthy performance and if she doesn't winthis year, i'll eat my hat! The directing was also incredible, the wayEastwood managed to build the tension and create a hugely "on-edge"atmosphere was genius, the hanging scene is the perfect example ofthis, as is the scene when Christine Collins visits her son's "killer".Also the story was extremely true to the actual events, they evendressed her the same as is seen in an old photo of Miss Collins. it isdetail and care like this which makes it one of the most fascinatingand tragic films of the year.Finally i cannot overstress Angelina's awesome performance. This filmis truly a masterpiece. Buy it, Rent it, WHATEVER, just watch it! watchit! watch it!

Edward Douglas 2012-05-02 10:02:43

Suffers from its lack of focus by trying to create an overly complex story that would probably have been just as interesting if it were kept simpler ... and shorter.

Nick Davis 2012-05-01 23:27:26

Writer J. Michael Straczynski and director Clint Eastwood keep abducting their own movie and flagrantly replacing it with a different one.

Daniel Eagan 2012-04-28 08:20:54

Despite all this talent, Changeling still comes off as a period version of a movie on Lifetime.

2012-04-28 05:21:02

Apalling script for an awesome story

This review is from: Changeling [HD] (Amazon Instant Video) The trailer is very compelling but alas, also the only success in this Clint Eastwood production! The true incident from 1928 is dramatic and inspiring and should have made an excellent script. The characters are appallingly weak almost as though the period costumes and set were a distraction! Angelina is hugely disappointing as one may expect but John Malkovich? Clearly the director has failed. The screenplay is a whole disappointment unto itself and not just because its predictable in a school play sort of way. If the Academy had to award bad performances, this movie would sweep a dozen. This movie also features the worst portrayal of a police captain in the history of film (again, clearly the director's failure.) The narration of the gruesome slaughter of mere children is so terrible, its actually not disturbing!Worst of all, it runs about 2.5 hours. What a waste!