Changeling

ChrisHurn

ChrisHurn

Well-known member
Don't kill me if there's a thread for this already, I couldn't find one. This film only just came out here in New Zealand.

I have really enjoyed watching the last few Clint Eastwood films, and I especially love the visual style and cinematography of this one. I thought it was a really powerful film.

Anyway, thoughts on this film?
 
i loved it too but damn it, it likes forcing sadness upon you. shot nicely i do think eastwood is awesome. and jolie didnt bug me in this film. she was acting like someone other than her self it was a nice change.
 
Damn Powerful. Goddamnit, it hammers you with such rage and disconfort that its almost unbearable.

I've seen Benjamin Button, The Wrestler and now Changelling. This is the strongest of them all, IMO. Not the nicest in the way it was shot, or the best one in acting, but as a Film that lasts, as something that is powerful and lasting. This film talks about issues that we should never forget, like abuse of power, hope, doing what is right, and fighting for it. These issues cannot be better told than trough a "real" story. Clint Eastwood never stops to surprise me in his choice of movies. This is an important film. A film that will surely be remembered, and worth seeing for years to come.

As for Angelina.... She was good troughout the film. She looks as gorgeous as ever, and her performance carried the film. But, and now as a sidenote, I have to say Angelina really needs to get away from Blockbuster sex bomb characters and the media limelight. I just couldn't get into the film at the beginning (after 30 so minutes I forgot this) because her star power was, well, just too big. Angelina the Sex symbol, the UN embassador, Brangelina...This all got to me in the first half hour of the film. I'm sure if I was not affected or bombarded by media gossip about her almost every week I would've not even have felt this, but the fact is that this "bleeded" into my viewing of the film. But, despite all this, and it is a handicap for now, I got into the film- and I got moved (make of this what you like :) ) .Yes, it was a good performance. I really like John Malkovich whenever he acts. and, no surprise, he's very good here, as well as the rest of the supporting cast.

I must say, however, I'm still more impressed with Meryl Streep in Doubt. She gets my vote in the best actress category.
 
Clint's directing is da bomb ! If he had shown more of his usual restraint, this would have been a best picture nominee. Clint is best when he is doing cool, relaxed, classical style, eg. "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby." Here I think he was trying too hard to make a Big Social Statement and overdid it a little.

Have not yet seen his other recent one "Gran Torino" so can't compare the two.

Angelina Jolie was a big casting mistake. Probably not Clint's fault, a studio thing. You are right about the whole Brangelina & child-collecting thing kind of overwhelming the character. Too "big" a persona for this. Kate Winslet or Anne Hathaway would've been much better. Frankly Clint could've gone with a relative unknown, made it a "star-making" performance.

I'm surprised it didn't get nominated for cinematography. Tom Stern, as always, shot it beautifully. Production design also top-notch. Great period costuming. Disappointed it didn't get some craft nominations.

Worth seeing again, but not one of Clint's masterpieces. :beer:
 
Loved every bit of it. The history lesson was great. Never knew LA has such a crazy past involving the police. I found photos of many of the real characters and Clint cast very close to there real appearence except for Jolie. I thought she was amazing and deserves the nomination but I do agree with some reviews that said she had to much of a bombshell type of face that distracted from the story a bit. One of the best movies I saw this year. Clint just keeps on going.
 
Kudos to Changeling. This is a weird and awkward story...it had to be told carefully to avoid making an awkward movie. IMO, it excelled in keeping the story straight, and it was creatively shot. I like Jolie - she gets type-cast often (ie Wanted), but she shows some moments of brilliance in this movie.

It's a Hollywood movie, and it had that Hollywood feeling to it. That's the only bad thing I can say about it.

4/5
 
Screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (of Babylon 5 "fame") has been working this story around in his head for literally decades. His scriptwriting book from '96 has excerpts from an early version of the script. IIRC, he said something when it was first announced that Ron Howard's production company had bought it for Eastwood to direct and Jolie to star, that it was only recently that he'd felt like a good enough writer to tell the story properly.
 
I thought this movie was amazing! Incredibly shot, great performances and very disturbing without being overly graphic.

I was so pissed off half way through this movie yet I had to sit and watch it play out. Eastwood had me squirming in my seat with rage during certain scenes and I'm entirely sure that was his intention all along.

Slowly cooked and very powerful, right to the end.

MAH
 
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