Changeling

Directed by one of my favourite actor-director, Clint Eastwood, Changeling, explores a lone mother's struggle, Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), for justice for her missing son, Walter Collins, who mysteriously disappears without a trace.

She takes on the LAPD who are indifferent to her plight and the latter go out of their way to close the case as quickly as possible, without causing any embarassment to the Department in the eyes of the public.

However, with the help of the Pastor, played by the amazing, John Malkovich, who constantly exposes the corruption and miscouduct of the LAPD through his radio shows, Christine Collins fights her way all through her harrowing journey of getting thrown into a mental institution, to playing mom to a son thrust into her hands by the corrupt LA cops who never was her son to begin with, to a woman of enormous strength determined to see it through till the end.

Based on a true story, the direction is crisp and comes across as an honest portrayal of a mother's anguish for her missing son around whom her entire life revolves. Angelina Jolie's performance is powerful, and John's presence strenghthens the plot. However, the film is just another ordinary story, a common one which many of us would have heard on and off from the media or from other channels of communication.

Does it warrant an Oscar? I don't think I agree. Kate Winslet on the other hand was a winner all the way for her portrayal of Hannah Schmitz in the Reader.