Changeling

Does an ambiguously happy or hopeful ending make up for an otherwise depressing and horrifying true story? Of course not! This is no feel-good movie. But it's a very good movie. Don't let the title fool you; Changeling is no sci-fi flick or horror movie. It's an intense (albeit slow-moving) thriller set in 1920s Los Angeles. The premise? Angelina Jolie, single mother, has lost her son. He's been kidnapped. But the movie isn't about a search for a missing child; just ten minutes of screen time after the kidnapping, Jolie receives good news - her son has been found! Alright, cool. She's happy. She's relieved. But what's this? Holy shit - that's not her son! The police have found the wrong boy! And what's more, they're adamantly refusing that any mix-up has or even could have occurred. In a very chauvinistic fashion, the policemen decide that Jolie is too shocked and upset to recognize her own son. One thing leads to another and she winds up in a mental institution. So what's going on here - is Jolie really going bonkers, or has the system completely and utterly betrayed her? I won't spoil the ending (actually, we're only about halfway through the film where I've left the plot dangling) but suffice it to say that the answer to everything isn't necessarily made clear. Clint Eastwood (did not go in knowing he directed this!) did a fantastic job. So did Jolie, and so did the rest of the cast. And so did the costume design team. This movie managed to be a decent period piece, very suspenseful, and also a good exploration of themes like female disempowerment. Worth a watch, for sure. Enjoy.