Changeling
Lyza Grade 12
Rating 4.5/5
"Changeling" is an intense and dark film directed by Clint Eastwood and starring actress Angelina Jolie. Set in the late 1920s, the movie tells the true story of Christine Collins, a single mother whose son went missing the months after her son’s disappearance, the police announces that they have found him and reunites him with Christine. However, Christine is convinced that the boy who is brought to her is not her son, and the police accuses her of being delusional and attempts to silence her. "Changeling" highlight’s themes of corruption, abuse of power, and the dehumanization of women. The audience see this as Christine is deemed crazy when telling the police that the son, they returned to her wasn’t her actual son. The film's portrayal of the police station as an institution that is more concerned with its reputation than with justice is both unsettling and infuriating. The viewers watch as determined Christine Collins, fights to prove that this boy isn’t her real son angers the police industry and they go as far as placing Christine in a psychopath ward. Christine continues to fight the oppressive system and discover where her boy was taken. The movie comes to an unexpectedly emotional and tragic conclusion. This film does an amazing job portraying real historical issues women faced back in the late 1920’s by having the police repeatedly dismiss and not believe her as well as treat her as if she is hysterical and irrational. The movie also shows the power of maternal love and the lengths a mother would go for her child. I recommend this movie for the older audience as it deals with some heavy content. It is definitely one of those films that leave you to stand up for justice and truth.