Changeling

Eastwood and the most firmly held formula. A story that could be retold in three sentences stretches over two hours, but with a fascinating talent it forces the viewer to immensely enjoy that time. Every emotion feels genuine, Angelina overcomes her acting limits and the period atmosphere attacks all of my senses. If the whole film wasn't infused with a very credible, unpleasant, and unrelenting hint of inhumanity, it could have been even better. (14/09/2009)

A solid Straczynski drama with decent production design, and interesting direction, but also a strange performance by Angelina and a few hobbling a-historical issues. In summary, however, I can recommend Changeling, and perhaps thanks to it younger people will understand who Tom Mix and Claudette Colbert were. (13/05/2014)

Disappointed I certainly am not, as I got exactly what I expected. Eastwood masters his craft reliably and chose such an attractive topic that it represents a sure bet within the US and world cinema, so to speak. The loss of a child, corruption and the incompetence of authorities, as well as police harassment against a fragile defenseless woman, the rampage of a psychopathic violent person, civil activism, and the expected victory of justice and democracy over corrupt individuals. The system is saved again, and we move on. In the first half, when the protagonist is crushed by the pressure of events and one marvels at the absurdity of the conditions in America at the end of the 1920s, it works very well, and my rating reflects that. However, after the drama moves to the courtroom, it becomes a standard, typically American, predictable spectacle according to the formula tried and tested many times. Overall, for me, it gets a 3.5-star rating, with my tradition of leaning toward a lower rating for such an acclaimed film. The casting of Angelina Jolie in the lead role also plays a certain role in that. I don't particularly care for her. Overall impression: 65%. (01/03/2013)

The last part of the film is unnecessarily pompous, here it would apply the famous saying that less is sometimes more.Otherwise, it is a gripping, minimalist and heart-wrenching story, where the otherwise mannequin-like and wannabe cool tough chick Angelina Jolie delivers the best and most heartfelt performance of her career. Clint Eastwood amazes once again with his perfectly thought-out old-school direction, and the production design and cinematography are superb elements in this perfectly harmonious masterpiece. Without a doubt, one of the best films of the year, and perhaps the best in terms of direction. (31/05/2009)

There are simply too many thoughts and intentions for one film. A missing child, police corruption and inconsistency, a Ken Kesey-like mental hospital drama, a trial to justify a scapegoat and punish a murdering monster... Only Eastwood can indulge in that, and he doesn't fall short at any point, but the excessive runtime and uneven pacing are proof that more intimate and purely genre stories in the style of A Perfect World or Gran Torino suit him better as a storyteller. The script in itself isn't bad, but it lacks credibility in some of its individual parts, whether in the half-hearted depiction of an evil and irrational police or medical staff, or in the circumstances surrounding the child murders, which lack virtually any motive or explanation. Nevertheless, this is an excellent film, emotionally colourful, visually authentic and psychologically mature, with a sweetly depressing piano soundtrack and a wonderful Angelina Jolie, who traded the face of a tough action heroine for the tortured expression of a betrayed yet hard-fighting mother – a shame for the guys, a stroke of luck for the film... 80% (02/07/2012)