 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Changeling
- Review Date: October 20, 2008
- R
- Genre: Drama
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Suspenseful, overlong drama isn't meant for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this 1920s-set drama recounts real-life events that could be quite disturbing to children and young teens. It examines the disappearance of a young boy who was likely murdered; some upsetting scenes show what might have been his ghastly misfortune. There are some gory images, and wrongfully imprisoned women are treated very badly in a psych ward. Authority figures are unreliable and commit betrayals, and there's some mild swearing (including a few uses of "f--k") and period-accurate smoking.
What's the story?
A retelling of real-life events, CHANGELING documents the harrowing circumstances a Los Angeles mother faced when the city's severely corrupt and inept police department forced her to take in a child who wasn't hers. In March 1928, 9-year-old Walter Collins vanished without a trace, only to be found five months later -- or so the cops claimed. Although his mother, Christine (Angelina Jolie), knows immediately that he isn't her son, she's pressured to take him home, convinced by police Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) that she's merely in shock. But she quickly regrets her decision and pushes back, insisting that the search for Walter be renewed. Cops and higher-ups, anxious to rid themselves of a public relations mess, throw her into a psych ward, but Christine is resolute, especially when she discovers she has the backing of a local preacher (John Malkovich) hell-bent on unmasking the police department's faults. In the meantime, a wayward teen (Eddie Alderson) may hold the answers to Walter's disappearance.
Is it any good?
Suspenseful and stirring, Changeling is fine moviemaking in full display. Director Clint Eastwood's light touch is apparent, emphasizing storytelling above all else. And why not? The material is certainly compelling (though some details were changed). Jolie is impeccable as a mother shoved to the brink of sanity. Noticeably de-glammed, her grieving mother almost makes us forget that she's half of a very starry celebrity couple.
And yet: Changeling does suffer, if only for a little bit. While the first two hours pass by swiftly and movingly, the tale goes slack when it chases every last detail to its end. Christine's stay at the psych ward, two parallel court cases, even another mother's luck at finding her own boy -- they're fascinating plot threads, but they ultimately serve to diminish all that came before. Perfect (or near-perfect) movies know when to end; this one, sadly, does not.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's messages. What does it say about people in positions of authority? Is the implication that all such people are unreliable, or just the characters in the movie? Why do you think Christine was betrayed the way she was? Do you think something like this could happen today? How would you characterize director Clint Eastwood's approach to telling this story? Families can also discuss the film's accuracy. Why might filmmakers bend the truth when making a movie based on real life? How could you find out more about Christine's case if you wanted to?
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Check out my page for more great recommendations.
I'm not here to give a review because if it shows up on my page its a 5 star movie and so therefore you know what i think about it.
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MA please
i did not see the full thing only snipits i was kicked out of the room atually the movie was not right a lot of violence not good for kids at all. the thought will scare some kids. the one boy who helped the man was a good role model because he came to the police and told every thing thought he knew what would happen. Overal good movie for MATURE ADIANCE. make sure you now your self and if you could take bad thoughts. it is based on a true story too.
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for older teens because of mature subject matter
I loved it! It had some disturbing parts but it really moved me and made me cry for the bad parts and the good parts.i think they had good role models because the mother never stoped searching for her son and had a lot of hope.i love that she wouldnt stand for the police saying that was her son! i think she was very brave.the bad role models are the police because the mother had clear evidence that the boy that she was given was not her son.They completely ignored her and was selfish of just thinking about how it would ruin they're reputation.Over all it was a very moving inspirational movie about how far a mother will go for her son.its really touching and full of determination
,hope,and faith!
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AGE
Great movie!
This is a amazing movie! It does show a disturbing part of children getting beaten to death, which is horrible. But it just shows the mans face doing it, not the boys getting beaten. There is some language but not that used often. All in all you have to see this!
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very sad
this movie was so sad! it was heartbreaking with very disturbing scenes, but it was very good and well layed out. and it was based on a ture story which makes it sadder. the worst and scariest scene was the one in the chicken coop with the kids and the guy.
but this movie was good, despite those scenes.
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AGE
I turned this off half way thru...
From what I saw, Angelina Jolie's main lines were "That's not my son" and "I want my son back!" (over and over again...) Best Actress nominee? Whatever. However, I was still interested in the story. That is, until I saw the scenes with the serial killer. These scenes were so disturbing and upsetting, I felt physically sick. That's when I turned off the movie. If you have kids yourself, you may feel the same way. I'm not a fan a movies like that in general, but especially if kids are involved.
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AGE
Changeling is one of the best movies I've seen
Since, I've posted my reviews on other movie websites I'll just get straight to the point. This was a touching, moving, and entertaining film. One of the best movies I've ever seen and that is saying a lot. For sexual content, there is brief discussion of circumcision. A woman is hosed down fully nude, we however only see a brief glimpse of her buttocks. For violence and gore, we see several depictions of children being murdered with an axe, sometimes seen with blood effects, but the murders are committed off-screen. For profanity, there are several uses of the f word, some scatological and anatomical terms, some religious exclamations and profanities.
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Steer clear if you have young children
This has the most disturbing scene I have ever witnessed in a movie. It's not gruesome, but with the four little boys huddled in the corner and they are saying "No no no no, please, no, no, no, please" while the light is swinging back and forth, casting them into shadows, it totally, absolutely and irrevocably broke my heart. I just couldn't stop thinking about my own little guy who is two.
I am having an extremely difficult time getting that scene out of my head. I know that scene was put in place to elicit hatred for the antagonist, and it serves its purpose well, but I think it looked way too real. WAY too real.
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AGE
Great drama from the mind of Clint Eastwood (based on true story)
This movie really pulls on your heart strings from beginning to end. Based on a true, tragic story this movie is a great drama but very graphic so best seen ages 16 and up.
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| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Clint Eastwood |
| Cast: | Angelina Jolie, Colm Feore, John Malkovich |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 140 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 22, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | February 17, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | some violent and disturbing content, and language. |
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