Full Movie Reviews
Rating of
3.5/4
"Changeling" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 02/29/2012
Changeling is the true story of a young mother in 1920s America whose son goes missing, but when the wrong boy is returned to her she is persecuted by a corrupt police force trying to avoid public embarrassment. Another beautifully crafted and intelligent drama from Clint Eastwood, Changeling is quite an unbelievable story. It highlights the dreadful, uncaring hypocrisy of corrupt officials, the appalling treatment of the mentally ill of the time, not to mention those "hysterical" women who were committed to avoid embarrassment or inconvenience. The period is meticulously recreated and the plot combines the story of a woman unshakably seeking justice against enormous odds and the investigation into a harrowing serial killer case. The cast are all of course quality, apart from the fact …
Rating of
3.5/4
Where's My Son!?
PsychoKing1227 - wrote on 08/04/2009
Clint Eastwood has finally done something that I've liked. With very little appeal to me, I went, knowing full well that I was going to see a film directed by the Oscar-hungry Clint Eastwood. What a tool. But I went, nonetheless, and I was stunned, actually stunned.
Sitting next to two very good friends, we became scared, horrified, frustrated, happy, depressed, enraged, and everything else in between while a hunt for a child turned into something larger and even more ominous. You at once feel sorry for the police officers for their plight, but then root against them as they torture a young mother who has lost everything in having her son kidnapped by a deranged killer.
You feel enraged when the child returned to her is not willing to admit the mistake in order to help, but are …
Rating of
3/4
Clint Eastwoods Direction Masterpiece
mdtinney - wrote on 07/30/2009
Angelina Jolie makes a true return to form and gives the performance of her career as Christine Collins, a mother whose case made national attention in the late 1920s: her son kidnapped, he is found months later, but upon seeing the child, Christine realizes that he is not her son. The case smashed apart the Los Angeles Police Department and revealed much of the corruption and greed prevalent. A heartbreaking drama, Clint Eastwood has given us a powerful film, one that is sadly underrated and has not achieved a bigger audience despite the fact that it was advertised fairly well. Those who have not gotten a chance to see this film, I urge them all to see it. The experience is more than just simply rewarding.Filled with beautiful performances—from Angelina Jolie as the tortured mother, …
Rating of
3/4
Involving, Strong Performances
Franz Patrick - wrote on 12/25/2008
Angelina Jolie should at least be nominated for an Oscar because she held this film together. I couldn’t take my eyes off her to the point where I noticed every spasm on her face every time there’s a revelation or when she feels cornered by pretty much every authority figure she encounters. Clint Eastwood did another great job with taking his audience to a specific moment in time and make us believe that that universe is both beautiful and tragic. However, I don’t think this is his best film due to the problems in its pacing. Toward the last twenty minutes, there were scenes that could’ve been endings but ultimately weren’t. Even though the additional scenes added some sort of closure with the characters and its audiences, a masterful work would’ve felt natural instead of …
Rating of
3/4
A great Eastwood film, but no masterpiece
Movies - wrote on 11/30/2008
Director Clint Eastwood is one of those rare cases where his directorial career grandly surpasses his acting career. Films like Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, and Letters From Iwo Jima all have some sort of Oscar or was nominated for one. Another unique observation regarding Mr. Eastwood's career centers around the fact that he has put out better films as he grows older. In 2000 he put out Space Cowboys and in 2002 he released Bloodwork, both clothed in mediocrity. Most of the films I mentioned before started to surface in 2003, with Mystic River being the first of his long string of great films. I'll let you know right away that Changeling is second tier to the five films I mentioned as being Eastwood's best. However, it's not stuck in mediocrity …
Rating of
3/4
A Solid Movie, But Eastwood Doesn't Change
Alex - wrote on 11/16/2008
The story itself is pretty good. Since it is a true story and is based in one of my favorites Cities, L.A. it lends quite a bit of credibility. I like Clint Eastwood sometimes but I don't think he has made a good movie since Mystic River - which may be hist best movie.
The acting is solid for the most part. Angelina Jolie over acts a couple of times but she reminds me of Linda Hamilton in T2 through out the movie. My only complaint is the acting of some of the children - specifically the child who escapes...from a certain area. I won't name names as it will reuin the story.
Overall this movie is very good. But, like "Things We Lost in the Fire" I don't know what its re-watch value is. The one advantage that it does have over Things We Lost in the Fire is that Eastwood is …
