Changeling (Review)

What I knew going in:
Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich in a True Crime Drama about a woman whose son disappears and the police return a boy to her that isn't hers.

Hype:
Meh. I've heard this is a possible Oscar Contender for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor. Normally this would lower my interest, but hey, I had a bunch of work to do, exciting things like quoting hardware and drawing network diagrams, and so this seemed like a perfect choice for background noise.

Opening Thoughts:
Period Dramas almost universally have big money behind them and the costuming and sets are top notch. Wow. This woman really cares about her son. I mean "Eat your breakfast before it gets cold." "Its cereal, mom its supposed to be cold." Half-Smile. Now that's emotion and empathy. You should interpret that last comment to mean ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZ. Yeesh, Hollywood, can you doll up the MALE KIDS a little more? I don't think you got a red enough lipstick on em...

Bottom Line:
Written by J Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Jerimiah) and Directed by Clint Eastwood (I can't help you if you don't know who Clint Eastwood is) this movie is superbly written and directed. The story kept me riveted, Malkovich and the supporting cast are great, but Angelina can't act up a broken leg. Brad needs to remind her how to be convincing on screen. I wonder if she would have been more convincing if she had born children instead of adopting. So, despite Jolie sucking the life out of the script, this is still a recommended film about an event that will terrify most parents. I can make a case for Best Supporting for Malkovich, but Best Actor and Best Film of 2008? Hardly. Hell, there are at least three other films IN MY BLOG ALONE that are better than this one.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/