Wired Movie Review: The Changeling

This is not a popcorn film. Executive Producer Ron Howard presents a story of a single young mother, Christine Collins, who returns home from work on March 3, 1928 to find her nine year old son Walter missing. Her son is found a few months later, only, she is convinced the child is not her lost son, contrary to what the officials force her to believe. Set in 1928 Los Angeles, J. Michael Straczynski’s script, the Changeling, is based on the “Wineville Chicken Murders” in Riverside County, California.

I lost my dad when I was just a kitten. He was the cutest tuxedo cat you could ever find! I miss him very much. I can only imagine what it must be like to loose a child. Even worse, to report a missing child and not have the police treat my case with the utmost urgency. I’m certain that if this were Angelina Jolie, the ultimate tomboy inside a godess’ body, looking for her own son Madox, she would kick butt and scream at the top of her lungs to set things in motion, perhaps even venture out on her own to find him. Christine Collins is fragile, screaming on the inside or in the privacy of her own home. She is unable to muster up enough vocals to stop a barely moving bus as she holds on running alongside.

In 1928 America, she is a second class citizen, rarely viewed as a rational, educated individual able to take matters into her own hands. To the LAPD, Christine Collins was an overly emotional, hysterical woman, who was a constant nuisance. Her determination did not help her cause. When interviewed, understandably emotional Jolie noted that while portraying Christine Collins, her mind was on her mother, Marcheline Bertrand.

“Her name was Marcheline, but everybody called her marshmallow, you know, as a joke, because she was just the softest, most gentle woman in the world, and, um, she is very much, she’s very much Christine Collins. She was really really sweet and she would never get angry, she couldn’t swear to safe her life and so…but when it came to her kids, she was just really, really, fierce… and so, then, this is very much her. She is the woman I relate to, to have that elegance and strength to just knowing what was right.”

The role of Christine Collins is one of Jolie’s best performances, allowing for a range of emotional conviction that is not at all obvious. One must penetrate Christine Collins’ character to see the world through her eyes in order to truly discover how strong she is.

Christine’s ally, Rev. Gustav Briegleb, played by master performer John Malkovich, is Christine’s voice of reason, determined to hold the corrupted LAPD accountable. Like a true Christian fighting for righteousness Reverend Briglieb strives to expose the egotistical Chief James E. Davis (Colm Feore), who carelessly ignored Collins plea, demeaning her, labeling her insane and consequently having her committed.

When a young boy (Eddie Alderson), found at the ranch, admits to being forced to assist the gruesome murder of some nineteen children, all abducted and held captive by a disturbed young man, Gordon Northcott (convincingly played by Jason Buttler Harner), Christine is free to return home. Moments later, she discovers her son may have been one of the several children murdered by Northcott.

Although the mood is cold, desperate and vagrant, the cinematography is exquisite. Christine’s longing permeates the screen into the viewers hearts. It is almost as if she were a woman stuck on a train to nowhere with each station representing a harsh reality of life she must learn to conqueror.

Angelina Jolie … Christine Collins
Gattlin Griffith … Walter Collins
Michelle Martin … Sandy (as Michelle Gunn)
Jan Devereaux … Operator #1
Michael Kelly … Detective Lester Ybarra
Erica Grant … Operator #2
Antonia Bennett … Operator #3
Kerri Randles … Operator #4
Frank Wood … Ben Harris
Morgan Eastwood … Girl on Tricycle
Madison Hodges … Neighborhood Girl
John Malkovich … Rev. Gustav Briegleb
Colm Feore … Chief James E. Davis
Devon Conti … Arthur Hutchins
J.P. Bumstead … Cook

The best thing about this picture is Angelina’s performance. For that, I recommend the Changeling with three Chinny Bini paws.

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