The Changeling

Clint Eastwood (next to Sean Connery) has been my hero as I grew up watching all his classic westerns and Dirty Harry films. I have followed his works (both starred and directed) rather closely since and most of his recent directions manage to instill better moral values as they are mostly based on true stories and actual events.

This film is a true story which revolves around the preposterousness of the Los Angeles Police Department during those times. And how the will, determination and Love of a single-Mother desperately searching for her missing son brought down the whole department against all odds.

I can relate to the fact that when you lose someone that means everything to you, you really have very little left to lose and since that be the case here. The single-Mother hung on to whatever she has left and went all out to make sure the authorities continue the search for her missing son which lead to a major chain of events that unfolded.

The story's pace was a very comfortable one taking its time to build the different characters surrounding the lead. It also pays plenty of attention to the emotional pains and psychological stress that one goes through when faced with such uncertainties. Most of those scenes are really intense and brought about sniffles that can be heard throughout the cinema. If there is one simple word to properly describe this film it will have to be: 'Powerful'.

The cast is strong and on-screen chemistry was all in the right places.

Angelina Jolie has established herself as one of the many sex-symbols of our times and have been casted as the X-factor in too many action films that we know of. However her focused acting in this film has elevated her to a totally different echelon and I would not be surprised she bags another Oscar for her more than remarkable performance here.

It has always been a pleasure to watch John Malkovich work his magic as his presence is always been felt and never once disappointing but pretty far from it.

The only gripe I have is not with the film itself but how a film of such intensity did not reached our little island earlier and that the poster in our light-boxes did the actual film no justice at all.