Here I am back again with my DVD pick and its Rosemary’s … wait no not Rosemary. I CHANGED my mind. It is Changeling the Clint Eastwood directed movie based on the real life events in Los Angeles in the year 1928 famous as Winevile Chicken coop murders.
I could never visualize Eastwood as a competent director but I CHANGED my opinion after watching this movie.
I had always thought that Oscar nominated movies and award winning movies needed high level of concentration to be understood, but I CHANGED my opinion after watching this movie as the flow in this movie is quite smooth and narration so gripping that I understood the meaning of the words “gripping tale” in the real sense, for the first time. You really don’t feel stressed trying to absorb it or to feel involved in it.
I had always believed that LAPD was very efficient and corruption free to an extent, but I CHANGED my opinion after watching the way they had functioned back then in 1928 where the movie is set.. They were none better than our own Indian police force.. Rife with corruption and wholesomely inefficient, they are shown in the movie as making a mess of the case of kidnapping of… Ok let me explain it to you properly before you CHANGE your mind of reading this.
If you thought only Ekta Kapoor incorporated incredible twists in her story line, you will CHANGE your stand halfway through this movie.
The story begins when Christine a single mother returns from her job to find her little boy Walter missing from home. She reports it to the LAPD and after months of negative results and after incessant pursuing by Christine played by Jolie and hounding by the Local Pastor Revd Gustav, who supports Christine in her search for her little boy, the police force declares one day, that they had found her boy and arranges a public reunion between the mother and the boy as a face saving act. When Christine meets the boy she realizes that he is not her son, but the little boy insists he is indeed her Walter and the police chief too psyches her into believing that he might be her son.- Now isn’t that incredible? Reluctantly she brings him home, but gradually she starts finding physical evidences of him being an imposter. Then follows a deadlock with Christine refusing to accept him as her son and , the little boy insisting her to be his mother and the police force trying to prove that Christine is insane . So what is the truth? Is he an imposter? Is it a conspiracy? Is this a psychological thriller ? is Christine insane? What happens when Jolie decides to fight it out against the LAPD? Is it an easy fight? Well , I kept on CHANGING my inferences quite a number of times during the process.A parallel story unfolds to intersect in the main story line later- as a detective is shown visiting a Wineville Ranch in connection with a missing child report., where some horrifying discoveries are made about a Gordon Northcott, who it turns out is involved in the kidnapping and killing of many children. Is there a connection bewen Walter’s disappearance and Gordon? This was just part of the plot and a mere chit of a review can hardly do justice to the movie. But if you think this to be a thriller, then please CHANGE your stream of thought, because it is not a thriller, rather it portrays a mother’s angst of losing her son and a fight against a huge corrupt system to know the truth and have her son back. It’s about faith, courage and about hope.
Jolie –Ah Angelina Jolie. Well I CHANGED my opinion of her being not that a great actress after seeing her portray a character totally different from the Lara Crofts .
Rest of the supporting cast does a decent job though they may not linger on in your mind. Pace is just as it should be, the drama subtle but intense (credit mostly to Jolie) and of course Harner as Gordon Northcott is very impressive.
If you had decided to get this movie, don’t change your mind please even if you don’t like this review.
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I have seen it and liked it. Your movie picks are great mani!
thanks Alka! feels great to have you here as our support.
I have seen the movie and it is one of those movies which affected me the most. brilliant story and acting.
I enjoyed the movie very much makes a good dvd pick.
I have seen this movie and found it wonderful.
Check out another Clint Eastwood movie ‘Gran Torino’, a lovely movie…
nice review. will surely watch it. jolie has done a wide variety of movies, has’nt she?
@ Gayatri- Thanks.
Yeah she has!
@LP, Keerti,RSV- Agree absolutely
K…am going to get me a movie this weekend…:P