Changeling review

 Number 498 on the top 1000 films of all time is Clint Eastwood's mystery drama Changeling.

Based on a true story, Changeling follows the trials of single mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) whose nine-year-old son Walter goes missing in Mira Loma, California. A few months later, the LAPD claim to have found Walter. But Christine is insistent that this is the wrong boy. However, her claims are dismissed and she is made to look like an unfit mother. Together with Reverend Gustav Briegleb (John Malkovich,) vocal critic of the LAPD, Christine begins building a case to challenge them, but the police have her imprisoned in a psychiatric institution.

This is an insane story, made even crazier by how it is based on real life. Yes, the film does play fast and loose with some of the finer details, but the core plot is the same. Christine Collins' son disappears. The police claim to have found the boy but Christine is insistent they are wrong. Rather than admit their mistake and face the ensuing negative publicity, they silence her by sending her to a mental hospital. If it wasn't so horrific, it would be funny. And it really is a case of fact being stranger than fiction.

It's a tale of women being dismissed in a patriarchal society by arrogant men, as well as the corrupt nature of the LAPD. During this time, they had received intense negative publicity after failing to solve other missing children cases. They desperately needed a win and were determined to get it even if that meant ignoring the truth. Eastwood created an atmosphere that was hostile and tense all at the same time. Police captain J.J Jones is an arrogant villain who is too proud to dare admit he was wrong. Instead he attacks Christine for daring to question his authority. 

And it's difficult not to feel for Christine at this point. All she wants is her son back yet she is ridiculed and mocked by the very people who were supposed to help her. Jolie makes her into the most sympathetic protagonist. But Malkovich was also great as the Reverend Briegleb portraying a character that was brave enough to fight against the police department. He was powerful enough to get Christine freed from prison and was the driving force she needed to take justified legal action against the police.

So what really did happen to Walter Collins? Well, like I said, Eastwood played fast and loose with history but he got the main facts right. Collins was kidnapped and murdered by Canadian serial killer Gordon Northcott (Jason Butler Harner) on the Wineville chicken coop. He is caught and sentenced to death, but refuses to admit whether he ever killed Walter. Harner was formidable as Northcott - he was unhinged enough to make him scary, but not so much he becomes a cliche. When he is about to be hung and he has the hood over his face, he starts singing Silent Night. As monstrous as he was, it was difficult not to take pity on him. In real life, Northcott was only in his early twenties - little more than a misguided kid himself. 

As for Walter's imposter, he decided to pose as him, so he could travel to Hollywood and meet his favourite actor Tom Mix. He also wanted to escape the abusive clutches of his step parents, but this was omitted. And as for the LAPD? They were punished but not really - as is often the case for corrupt members of authority. Captain Jones was supposed to pay Christine $10,800 but he never did. And even though he was fired, he was later re-instated. Why am I not surprised?

But this was a great effort from Eastwood. Although it wasn't 100% accurate, it was a fascinating depiction of a horrendous true story. You do wonder if Christine Collins had been a man, would the police have been more likely to have believed her?