Synopsis: Clint Eastwood directs Oscar winner Angelina Jolie and Oscar nominee John Malkovich in a riveting and unforgettable true story.

Los Angeles, 1928. When single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) leaves for work, her son vanishes without a trace. Five months later, the police reunite mother and son; but he isn’t her boy. Driven by one woman’s relentless quest for the truth. The case exposes a world of corruption, captivates the public and changes LA forever.

This emotionally gripping story illustrates the profound power of a mother’s love in “a mesmerizing film that burns in the memory” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone).
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Changeling 8.0

A part of me wants to give this movie an 8.5, but then I was looking at the other contenders on my list this year and I’d have to give new ratings to a dozen films. Frankly, this one clearly places itself outside my Top 13 list for the year, and yet there are few 8.5s in it. Hmmm…

Anyway, this pretty reconfirms (to me) that Clint Eastwood is at the top of his game right now. Of his last half dozen films, he only made one that I thought was so-so, and it’s ‘Invictus’ (which wasn’t bad at all – it just wasn’t all that it could have been!). So he’s really improved himself as a filmmaker over the years – especially when one looks at his earlier films.

I loved the story of ‘Changeling’ (which is based on a true story), I loved the look of the film, the score, the performances, everything. I guess the reason I can’t give it a higher rating is that nothing blew me away, nothing stood out in a major way. It was all very very solid stuff on all counts, but it didn’t grab me, move me or challenge me.

Still, it’s one heck of a good movie. And I know that I will see it again.