A Changeling and the Search For Truth

Unlike most of the women I know I think that Angelina Jolie is one of the most ravishing women on the planet, and the idea of her in a Clint Eastwood film is decidedly intriguing. I said recently that i was generally a fan of things which look good, and being set in 1920's Los Angeles, it should come as no suprise that Changeling is a beautiful movie, Jolie is stunning in the central role, and shows a poise and depth which is simply astounding.

The film tells the tale of a woman whose son goes missing, and her search for the truth. Jolie was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Chistine Collins, (she lost the Oscar to Kate Winslet for The Reader.) The film stands out from the Jolie canon of movies; a career which seems to be dominated by attempts to recapture the sex bomb image of 2001 and 2003's rather uninspiring Lara Croft movies, which despite receiving lukewarm responses from critics, put Jolie on the map as a sex symbol, ie Salt, Mr and Mrs Smith, Wanted, The Tourist etc... This film is very different, in fact, only A Mighty Heart and Girl, Interrupted seem to stand out like this does.

The film is a strong picture in Eastwood's filmography, and continues on from Million Dollar Baby, in its portrayal of a strong female character; overall the film shows us the depth of Jolie as an actress and Eastwood as a director, and is a tribute to Eastwood's adaptability as a director. A stunning period drama.