Changeling, post-screening thoughts

Obviously, Clint Eastwood's intentions with Changeling, his latest heart-tugger of a dark drama, weren't to further infuriate those "fuck the po-lice" chanters, worldwide. I'm sure he appreciates the fine work that the large majority of law enforcement persons do on a daily basis. But damn if I didn't leave this film hating cops.

Well, the cops in this film, that is.



The premise is a parent's nightmare amplified to intense measures, made all the more "imagine if this shit happened to me" by the fact that it's based on a true story. Back 1928, Los Angeles, a single mother, Christine Collins, lives with her nine-year-old seed, Walter. Perfectly happy. She works her ass off to provide for the kid, while he gets his learn on in class. But then, one day while he's home alone, Christine returns to her pad, where the scenery is sans Walter. And she hunts, and looks, and investigates. And the LAPD seems a bit suspect in their pursuits, especially when they claim to have found Walter in Dekalb, Illinois, only that when Christine is reunited with Walter in front of press and flashing newspaper cameras, it's not Walter. In fact, this impostor is three inches shorter, and is circumsized, unlike the real Walt. But the LAPD, feeling the heat of bad press amidst seedy corruption, wants to keep the ordeal in positive light. Yet, Christine isn't having it, and she's vocal about the fake Walter. So the LAPS has her committed to a psycho ward, without anybody--press, clergy, friends--being aware. She gets out, after months of mistreatment and neglect, thanks to a feisty, distrustful pastor. And I'll stop right here, rather than spill the whole bag o' beans.

But the police dept. is responsible for the whole cover-up, using their abused-power to ignore searching for her missing son while silencing Christine with illegal action. Well, not the entire department, just a couple chinks in the lawful armor. But huge enough jerkoffs to give the entire force a shite name.

The larger-than-life Angelina Jolie plays Christine, and it's the exact type of scenery-chewing role that her strong chops and immense presence can devour like Artie Lange does a buffet. Its a pretty powerful performance at times, especially when her icy fury bubbles beneath a trying-to-keep-my-compure exterior. But, and here's where I disagree with the almighty-GQ-critic Tom Carson and his stance in this month's new issue, this is one role where she actually is overpowered by her surroundings. The story, the secondary plot-movers. Christine and her struggles remain the heart of the tale, but I found myself more invested in what goes down around her, not directly in front of her.

And here's where I'll salute the great Clint Eastwood, in how he stages the parallel investigation, conducted while Christine is in the mental clink, of the suspected kidnapper. This side-scenario is gut-wrenching shit, and played to a manic, unpredictable, and infintely-compelling tee by the unknown thesp Jason Butler Harner, who strikes like a hurricane in a show-stealing performance. He looks like Kyle Maclachlan mixed with Pee Wee Herman, and he counters Jolie's steely somberness with explosive bits of childlike hysteria. Great job, Mr. Harner.

Jason Butler Harner


And the moments where his character hacks up trapped kidnap-ees in his ranch's shed, forcing his pre-teen-age cousin to assist in the slaying, cut to the bone-chilling core.



Changeling isn't a perfect film, by any means. The last section, full of courtroom scenes and post-game plot wrap-ups, drags on in spots. And the solid Jeffrey Donovan (from that USA network show Burn Notice), who plays the scumbag head of the police investigation, misses the mark here, in a one-note job. All slimy assholeness, and no hints of compassion, to even find him believable.
[M.B. Note: Have to thank an anonymous commenter for pointing out a flaw in what I've written; I don't make very strong a case for why Donovan's character, TKTK, doesn't work for me. Simply put, my problem is that he comes off a bit wooden. Like, he's clearly a dirtbag, and that registers, but I didn't find myself as resentful toward him as I should've, and that's 'cause Donovan plays him with such a chilled arrogance, that it crosses the line from menacing to mundane. At least to me. So my "hints of compassion" remark is wrong, and thanks again to the commenter. The character is just rotten, so compassion isn't really necessary, anyway.]

But this story is so unbelievably-heavy that it'd take a real hack to turn it into a total fuck-up. Eastwood, of course, is an anti-hack. He's a master craftsman. Changeling isn't as superb as his Mystic River or Million Dollar Baby, but its still one not to miss.

There's a slew of firecracker scenes. One in particular plays like the most sadistic and punishing of psychological horror cruelty, only its a realistic exchange between patient Christine and the psych ward's no-bullshit, pretty-dickhead top doctor. The mind games he plays with her emotional confusion and frailty are tougher to endure than most Saw-like torture porn. And an interrogation at the end, where a detective questions a kid who turns up a year later after escaping from the kidnapper/murderer's grip, hits so close to the parent-and-son pulse, I damn near teared up. True story. A stark contrast in pitch-perfect tone from the execution-by-hanging scene that precedes it, a surreal devil-gets-his-just-due crowdpleaser that's unflinchingly shot by Eastwood. No cutting away, even when the noose cracks neckbone after neckbone, squirming legs and all.

Should Jolie get an Oscar nod? I've yet to see all the competition, but I'd be surprised if there isn't five better female performances by mid-January. She's damn good here, but not as amazing as the Academy should recognize. Maybe a nod for director Eastwood, if anything. But really, fuck an Oscar. For now. Changeling is just a quality flick, plain and simple.

[M.B. Note: The anonymous commenter also asked whether I think this film will play well to a widespread aud, or if its a bit too bleak....it's definitely bleak, no denying that, and I'm not convinced that Jolie herself is a huge draw. Sure, she's a megastar of jaw-dropping proportions, but A Mighty Heart--another deathly-serious drama of her's--tanked at the box office. Granted, that one was Iraq War related, and we all know well Iraq War films have performed. But my gut says that Changeling will do mediocre business. Stolen kids meeting bloody-ax-fates just don't guarantee huge bank, unfortunately. Or fortunately? Whatever.]


Good work, you two.

**Worth mentioning: thought I'd be done with Quarantine, but wouldn't ya know...dude who plays the infected-dog's victim in Quar plays the psych ward's doctor here. Quite the diverse month of movies, Denis O'Hare. But you'll always be canine food to me, sir.