Changeling (2008)

A grief-stricken mother takes on the LAPD to her own detriment when it stubbornly tries to pass off an obvious impostor as her missing child, while also refusing to give up hope that she will find him one day.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writer:

J. Michael Straczynski

Stars:

Angelina Jolie, Gattlin Griffith, Colm Feore

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 33 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Angelina Jolie	...	Christine Collins
Gattlin Griffith	...	Walter Collins
Michelle Gunn	...	Sandy
Michael Kelly	...	Detective Lester Ybarra
Jan Devereaux	...	Operator
Erica Grant	...	Operator
Antonia Bennett	...	Operator
Kerri Randles	...	Operator
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
Ric Sarabia	...	Man at Diner

Storyline

Los Angeles, 1928. A single mother returns from work to find her nine-year-old son gone. She calls the LAPD to initiate a search. Five months later, a boy is found in Illinois who fits the description; he says he's her son. To fanfare and photos, the LAPD reunite mother and son, but she insists he's not her boy. The cops dismiss her as either a liar or hysterical. When she joins a minister in his public criticism of the police, they in turn use government power to silence and intimidate her. Meanwhile, a cop goes to a dilapidated ranch to find a Canadian lad who's without legal status; the youth tells a grisly tale. There's redress for murder; is there redress for abuse of power?

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Plot Keywords:

boy | police | lapd | train | telephone | 

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Taglines:

To find her son, she did what no one else dared.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Austria]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

El sustituto

Filming Locations:

All Saint's Episcopal Church - 132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,225,548 (UK) (28 November 2008)

Gross:

£4,693,773 (UK) (2 January 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Imagine Entertainment, Malpaso Productions, Relativity Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color Black and White (opening and end sequence)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This marks the first time since The Eiger Sanction that Clint Eastwood has directed a film for Universal Pictures. It is also the first time Eastwood has worked outside in any capacity outside of Warner Brothers Pictures (with the exception of television) since In the Line of Fire.

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Goofs

When Rev. Gustav is speaking from the pulpit of his church, the design of the pipe organ is from at least 1950. In the 1920's, the pipes were hidden behind a facade.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Christine Collins: Walter, honey. Time to wake up.
Walter Collins: Just ten more minutes...
Christine Collins: Sorry, sport. You can sleep in tomorrow, that's what Saturdays are for.

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Crazy Credits

The black-and-white Universal logo used in the 1940s opens the film.

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Connections

Referenced in Changeling - Nothing Is Strange with You: The Terrible True Story of Northcott (2009)

User Reviews

And the Oscar goes to...

…Angelina Jolie, for outstanding performance in Changeling.

Wow, I think I need to calm down a bit. I was skeptic at first to see this movie but I don't regret spending 900 króna's (I'm from Iceland so that's very expensive) on a movie ticket to see the best movie I've seen in a long time. And I encourage everyone to do the same, go see Changeling.

This movie has everything; a terrific story based on true events, outstanding acting from everyone of the cast, excitement, tears, blood and it holds you tight until the end. And I won't forget the magic behind the camera provided by the genius Clint Eastwood.

Angelina's character is terrific and she fights, what seems to be at first a lost fight, for her son in a world controlled by men. You learn to hate some characters in the movie and love others. You learn to feel for Angelina's character and hope the movie ends well. Changeling will make you cry and when you walk out of the theater after this fantastic film you feel both good and satisfied.

Angelina was so good and convincing in this movie that I could not believe my own eyes and ears. And John Malkovich was very good too but Angelina is the rock of this movie. She carries it on her shoulders and Clint Eastwood directs her like...like...I don't know what to write anymore, I'm still calming down. I'm going to stop now and finish the review with these two sentences: If Angelina Jolie gets an Oscar nomination for her acting she deserves to win. Just go see Changeling and Angelina's acting will blow your mind.