Thankfully, the Angelika Theater has comfortable seats and fabulous popcorn. At 2 hours and 40 minutes, this week’s movie was a bit of a marathon. The Changeling (directed by Clint Eastwood) is based on a true story and stars Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, putting forth a moderately convincing portrayal of a single mother whose son is abducted. It is set in the late 1920’s in Los Angeles and no detail is spared. Impressive streetcar scenes set in a faded color palette feature a glimpse of days gone by. Jolie’s wardrobe is stunning 20’s as is her hair and makeup. We found her performance a bit stiff at times, and her emotional ranges to be less than we had hoped for, but overall, she was good.
John Malkovich plays Reverand Gustav Briegleb who emerges as the strength behind the historic battle Mrs. Collins wages against the LAPD. Though the reality of this woman’s struggle was incredible, we felt the enormous odds she faced were somehow lost in translation. We didn’t feel a real connection with any of the characters, so as a result, pivotal moments of the story that called for a big reaction went by quietly.
In the end, the movie was engaging and entertaining as a whole experience. Though it is long, we were not checking our watches or getting fidgity which is always a good sign. We rated this movie an average of 3 to 4 out of 5.
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