Changing Lanes (2002)

Director:

Roger Michell

Writers (WGA):

Chap Taylor (story)
Chap Taylor (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

An ambitious lawyer, a desperate father, they had no reason to meet, until today,

Plot:

The story of what happens one day in New York when a young lawyer and a businessman share a small automobile accident on F.D.R. Drive and their mutual road rage escalates into a feud.

Plot Keywords:

Tragic Figure | Hit And Run | Insurance Agent | Moral Choice | Alcoholics Anonymous

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Gavin Banek
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Doyle Gipson
Kim Staunton	...	Valerie Gipson
Toni Collette	...	Michelle
Sydney Pollack	...	Stephen Delano
Tina Sloan	...	Mrs. Delano
Richard Jenkins	...	Walter Arnell
Akil Walker	...	Stephen Gipson
Cole Hawkins	...	Danny Gipson
Ileen Getz	...	Ellen
Jennifer Dundas	...	Mina Dunne (as Jennifer Dundas Lowe)
Matt Malloy	...	Ron Cabot
Amanda Peet	...	Cynthia Delano Banek
Myra Lucretia Taylor	...	Judge Frances Abarbanel
Bruce Altman	...	Terry Kaufman

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Austria:10 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38938) | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bergen County Court House - 10 Main Street, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The opening scene that takes place in the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum was shot in one day.

Goofs:

Continuity: Gavin can be seen getting up from the driver seat before Gipson pulls him out.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Doyle Gipson: Think I'll make this the boys' room.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in New Frontiers: Making 'The Missing' (2004) (V)

A thought-provoking, provocative drama/thriller showing that everyone has their highs and lows.

Repeat Review. Reviews #1-97: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur3825387/comments

Reviews #98-#100: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur5060215/comments

Reviews #101-#104: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur5339193/comments

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(Original Date of Review - August 25, 2004) (Old Review Record - 1 out of 1)

Directed by Roger Mitchell, Chaging Lanes shows us that life is a roller coaster, and if you don't live it right, you'll end up with a new low. This movie shows that we all have both highs and lows in life.

The story just happens to all be on a Good Friday that doesn't seem to be that good after all. I believe all of this is happening in New York. Gavin Banek (Affleck) and Doyle Gipson (Jackson) are two busy men that are in a hurry to life-changing events. Banek is a lawyer and off to an important case that he can't lose while Gipson is off to a divorce court to save his kids. They're on the highway in a rush and get in an accident. They then, being in their rushing moods, are disoriented and continue their days in awkward ways. Within the 20-minute mark of the movie, both protagonists already are at their lowest and they're trying to make things right. They can't and they get even lower, involving even more people within their rage, this not necessarily being there's a good guy or a bad guy. Their struggles to bring each other down become even lower and lower, this entirely still happening on Good Friday.

Overall, Changing Lanes is a great gripping drama with some thrilling elements and shows you how bad life can get unintentionally. There are definitely great performances by Jackson and Affleck and great direction by Mitchell. The screenplay is awesome in its own way. It's a great dramatic performance from 2002.

My Rating: 8/10

Objectively – 8.5/10

Subjectively – 8/10

Eliason A.