Having trouble scraping together enough cash to see a movie in theaters? Why not have a night in at the movies instead and watch Clint Eastwood’s 2008 hit “Changeling” starring Angelina Jolie!
**SPOILER ALERT**
I have to admit that I was initially drawn to this movie because of the intriguing title: “Changeling.” Unlike what the title suggests, this movie has nothing to do with the mythical creatures that snatch up children and replace them with one of their own. Instead, this movie tells the story of a young mother who, after coming from work one day, finds her young son missing. After an extensive search, the LAPD “finds” her son, who the mother claims is an impostor. After verbally accosting the police department several times, she is taken to an insane asylum for her “erratic behavior” and spends the rest of the movie attempting to get out so she can find out what happened to her son.
There are several factors that make this movie particularly interesting. First of all, Angelina Jolie, as usual, is a stunning actress and steals the show as the desperate mother Mrs. Collins. What makes the movie even more interesting is that it is based on a true story (and not in the way that “The Strangers” is based on the Manson murders). Eastwood’s rendering of the Christine Collins case is almost exactly in line with the crime and trials that occurred in 1926-1928, which makes the movie even more interesting. Eastwood does not try to “Hollywood-ize” the story, which actually makes it more appealing once you get past the fact that Mrs. Collins will not magically fall in love with one of the FBI agents or her lawyer in the court case, and that things will not turn out as “happily” as the casual viewer may hope.
The intense psychological drama of this movie holds your attention, even though the movie starts off a bit slow. The only issue I had with the movie is that Jolie’s potential as a mother is never really explored. In fact, her relationship and love for her son is difficult to believe because the passion that she conveys through her acting is almost entirely focused on her own inner turmoil, and not her motherhood.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable, if somewhat disturbing movie on multiple levels, and I would recommend seeing it with a small group of people, as it is not a crowd movie.
Tune in next week for Joanna’s “Night (In) At the Movies” recommendation – snuggle up and enjoy!