tunefulsailor The mother could just show a photo of the missing boy to the police to prove that the boy they brought back to her wasn't her boy. Is there something I miss?

cinemajesty Movie Review: "Changeling" (2008)Entirely carried by Angelina Jolie's performance as a mother in distress, accusing everyone of bringing home an impostor son, director Clint Eastwood alongside with cinematographer Tom Stern and editor Joel Cox deliver a pitch-perfect Mystery-Drama, which can be watched in 135 Minutes of a calm Sunday afternoon to indulge a feelings that the world out there can strike illusions as a delusion on a human's mind, while constant twist and violent outbursts keep any spectator with time at one's heel to a aroused conclusion to be remembered. A indeed righteously U.S. contributor in competition at the Cannes Film Festival of year 2008 in its 61st edition. © 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC

Graybell This movie has kind of an interesting plot premise, that a police department would attempt to substitute a different child for the mother's missing son. The concept of the changeling is fascinating and, in some contexts, spooky--but not here. The performances of Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich are fine. But the movie is blatantly manipulative of the viewer's emotions. The "kidnapped child" motif is played for all the emotional sentiment that is possible. So the film becomes just an exercise in feeling emotionally wrought. There is some plot interest, and the mother's character shows determination. It's certainly better than a lot of the dreck coming out of Hollywood, but that's a pretty low bar. I think if the movie had introduced some genuine mystery about the boy's identity, and if he was in fact the real son or not, it could have been an interesting mystery story. But as is, not worth watching for me.

Michael J Lawrence Clint Eastwood has produced some brilliant work as a director. Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby come to mind.But, as with Flags of Our Fathers, he here demonstrates a penchant for going over the top.There were times I felt like I was watching a dystopian commentary on systemic corruption at the hands of the new world order rather than a period piece revolving around a humanly dramatic mystery.Much of the acting is equally excessive as Clint lingers to jab a knife into our hearts in a way that is meant to be grueling but is surprisingly shallow.Such are the consequences of the risks inherent in going deep with dramatic material. The effort is compelling even if the result is lacking in grace.Part of the problem is the complexity of the material, which seems to drift between two different story lines, both of which are given equal weight even though they are barely related, as if one is meant to throw us off the trail of the other - which results in cheaply woven mystery and a plot that loses its way.