Great movie!!! Very moving and interesting.
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Changeling
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 16. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Suspenseful drama is heartbreaking, if overlong.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 16–18
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Changeling
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.
Read our full review by S. Jhoanna Robledo
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?
Our Members Say
See all 21 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Must See
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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.
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
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.
- I rate this title off for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- I rate this title off for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Heartbreaking and moving, but absolutely terrifying and disturbing
A very good movie! However, though it isn't one, I was scared enough as if it were a horror film! A disturbing true tale of a serial killer is portrayed. You see blood spattered on his face as he axe murders a child, his soon to be victims (all children) are hudled in a chicken coop, awaiting their grisley death, a young boy associated with the murders is forced to dig up the remains of the children and bones turn up, women, disturbed and sane, are abused in an asylum, and there is a prolonged, graphic hanging, but of the serial killer. However there is a determined female character (Jolie) and a strong message of the power of the government an how it can be abused in order for them to appear capable. Also a very strong sense of love between mother and child.
- I rate this title on for age 16 and give it
- My highlights are:
Wow. This film will never die.
Amazing true story told well. It is shocking to know that Christine had to go through such torture just to find her son! This woman was amazing and strong willed in all aspects. One good message told here is that you should never, ever give up. Like Christine, she kept going. She had such hope that her son was still alive and waiting for her, despite what anyone tried to tell her. She loved her son so much, he was her life! Very emotional and heartbreaking, make sure you have some tissue at hand, this one will make you cry! 5/5 for a wonderful work of art, and Angelina Jolie is just perfect.
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Amazing but heartbreaking!
Was disturbing at parts, but has an amazing story. Some images were hard to watch also, and I'm 15 and pretty mature.I wouldn't recomend for anyone under 15. Heartbreaking and you really feel for the lady. I really liked to story behind all of the intence images.
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
cool
its cool
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
It was a good movie. But it was a little disturbing in some parts,and this is coming from an eight year old! It would probaly be a little frustating for people with a temper. (Because she gets put in a psych ward for no reason)
- I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
=) whats not to like!
I saw it with a friend of mine at my house, in my room, at 2 am. First off, I'm more a fan of comedy, but she is always pressuring me into watching horror/drama films. When we first started watching Changeling, I thought nothing of it, but as the film progressed, the more I started liking it. Towards the end, I was hooked. I am absolutely in love with this movie! I reccomend to watch it if you havent. I would say, though, that there are some "iffy" parts, but if you are mature enough, you should see it.
- I rate this title off for age 16 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Disappointing. Not for tweens or many teens!
Violent and disturbing images; appropriate to the story though occasionally extreme and very difficult to watch even for adults. Not much redemption either. Unlike others, I was disappointed in the film overall, despite its good points. For me, it was ultimately so unpleasant and heartbreaking - it is any parent's most terrifying nightmare - it left me cold and dissatisfied. Too creepy.
- I rate this title iffy for age 15 and give it
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.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
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.
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
changeling
i have not seen it yet
- I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
Fantastic
One of the greatest of 2008 but very thematic and disturbing
- I rate this title iffy for age 16 and give it
Amazing movie, not incredibly appropriate for childen
The movie was well written and directed, although many of the scence were dark (very dim lighting). There are some grapic displays of violence (gunning people down in the streets, killing children with an axe etc), that was very unexpected. There was some brief language, but it was specific in reasoning. Very good for adults, teenagers (possibly) but definatly not younger children.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Gripping drama
Angelina Jolie is excellent as a demure, easily bowled over woman who gains her strength to fight through a harrowing experience in mental ward. Not a movie for the young - very disturbing violence perpetrated on young boys. Hard to believe that the LA county police were so corrupt and meanspirited at the turn of the century. Black and white street scenes of the time- very authentic A Clint Eastwood directed movie is always good.
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Gripping drama
Angelina Jolie is excellent as a demure, easily bowled over woman who gains her strength to fight through a harrowing experience in mental ward. Not a movie for the young - very disturbing violence perpetrated on young boys. Hard to believe that the LA county police were so corrupt and meanspirited at the turn of the century. Black and white street scenes of the time- very authentic A Clint Eastwood directed movie is always good.
- I rate this title on for age 15 and give it
Wow!
This was the kind of film that I'm glad I saw, but that I don't want to see again. It was an incredible story, I'm confident that Clint Eastwood will win an Oscar for it. Angelina was amazing as were all the other actors, but it was also quite disturbing, the flashback scenes from 2 young men were horrific. I probably wouldn't have seen this film had I known that that was what it was about, but all in all, it was an incredible film and all ADULTS should see it, not for kids.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 33% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 33% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 33% | of parents say it's too violent |
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