Clint Eastwood's "Changeling" lives up to its claim as a true story by successfully capturing the sense of turmoil within the film's tragic events.
Angelina Jolie stars as Christine Collins, a single working mother in 1928 Los Angeles whose world is turned upside down when her nine-year-old son, Walter, vanishes one afternoon while she is at work. Five months and countless efforts later, the Los Angeles Police Department reunites Collins with her long-lost child, except that the child they bring forth is not her son. She insists the LAPD reopen the case and continue their search, but when they remain adamant that her child has been returned to her, she forges her own route to prove that the child in her custody is not who he claims to be. Unknowingly, her struggle to find her son presents a huge inconvenience to the corrupt LAPD, who want Collins out of the picture. Up against time, the system and a much larger tragedy slowly coming to light, Collins fights not only for her son, but also for her rights as a woman, corruption and the status quo.
"Changeling" remains very true to its claim as a true story with only minor deviations. The film is based on the infamous Wineville Chicken Coop Murders of 1929 in which Gordon Stewart Northcott was convicted of killing three boys at his chicken ranch, with several more murders suspected but never confirmed. While the focus of the film is on Collins and her struggles to uncover what happened to her son, Eastwood successfully intertwines the story behind the capture and conviction of Northcott with that of Collins, as it is later discovered that these two seemingly separate events are in reality tightly connected. The only major historical inaccuracy is the absence of Northcott's mother in the film; in reality, she was closely connected with the murders and was also convicted.
Jolie shines in "Changeling," almost flawlessly portraying the myriad of emotions Collins traverses as a result of her horrific experience. In an interview with The New York Times, Jolie confessed she originally did not want to take the role of Collins, as the fear of losing a child hit too close to home. However, she could not quite get the story out of her mind and eventually accepted the role. It is evident that Jolie threw herself into the role, and the result is astounding. John Malkovich also stands out as the Reverend Gustav Briegleb, a priest at a local Presbyterian church who has made it his mission to expose the corruption of the LAPD and assists Collins in her fight against the organization.
Eastwood leaves little to the imagination in terms of depiction and visuals. Even some of the more graphic aspects of the story are shown quite vividly, which explains the movie's R rating. Lighting also plays a part in subconsciously conveying emotions to the audience. The movie is somewhat dark with bleak coloring, reminding the viewer of the somber tone of the events that occur onscreen.
The combination of good acting, captivating visuals and historical accuracy all lead to the overwhelming success predicted for Eastwood's latest production. Jolie's performance in the film has been accurately described as "heart-tugging." As the motion picture industry moves into Oscar season, "Changeling" is sure to stand out as a serious contender in the awards race.
"Changeling" opened in select theaters Friday, with a wide release to follow this coming Friday.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
