DVD OF THE WEEK

CHANGELING****
Dir: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, John Melodic, Calm Many

It's 1928 and Angelina Jolie's telephonist solo mother comes home from work one day to find her nine year old son missing. Five months later the much-criticised police department find her son alive. Only it isn't her son. Despite Jolie's protests the police insist she take the boy and when she continues to deny that it is her son a nightmarish Kafkaesque struggle ensues as, with the help of Malkovich's politically involved preacher she takes on Donovan's villainous police captain.
Based on a true story about the bad old days when a woman about to embarrass the police would be immediately thrown in the nearest asylum, Changeling is yet another pretty darn good outing from Eastwood. Once again he lets the story speak for itself and directs in an understated unshowy manner. The period detail is assured throughout without ever being too obsessive and getting in the way of the drama. The story is long and involving and Jolie is perfectly acceptable in the lead.
Despite so much excellent work one can't help having a few doubts. The story sticks very much to the facts and, as such, looses a wider resonance, both of the period and of the issues raised in the struggle between a crusading preacher and the police. John Malkovich does a terrific job but his character is stunted by being so one-dimensional. There is no hint that his motivation could be other than altruistic. And perhaps that is accurate to the real-life character, but it doesn't make for layered drama. The same applies to the piece's villains, be they police or doctors, and other interesting avenues such as the press' role in the affair are left unquestioned.
But, hey, it's easy to nitpick. Changeling is a handsome film that tells an interesting story.

In Transsiberian (***) Roy (Woody Harrelson) and Jessie (Emily Mortimer) are two Christian missionaries travelling from China to Moscow on the titular train. Their carriage-mates on the trip are another young couple, handsome Spaniard Carlos and Abby. Jessie finds herself attracted to Carlos and when Roy is delayed at a station the two end up spending time together. But this is not a love story. At the film's opening we have seen Russian narcotics detective Ben Kingsley and we know there is a missing drug stash somewhere – could it be in the Russian dolls that Carlos carries? Starting with a slow burn director Brad Anderson (The Machinist) builds tension in an impressively Hitchcockian manner, placing his characters in both physical and moral jeopardy. Kingsley brings his usual class and Mortimer is outstanding as the conflicted Jessie.

Val Kilmer wanders around a park on and in Columbus Day (***). He has just pulled off the biggest heist of his career and is trying to negotiate a safe way out of the city. While there he meets a young black kid and through their conversation and slow friendship an epiphany occurs. As much a character piece as a well-structured thriller this is a low-key and low-budget affair but works well, avoids sentimental moments with the kid and showcases an impressively low-key turn from Kilmer.

9 Dead Gay Guys (***) is a whole bunch of fun. First time Irish-Chinese writer/director Lab Ky Mo cheerfully borrows style tips from Trainspotting and Guy Ritchie's films: take out heroin and gangsters respectively and replace them with gay paraphernalia. The outrageous story centres on two young Irish lads on the dole in London and turning tricks on the side for the well-heeled eccentrics at their local gay pub. Although some of the deaths are accidental it is the murder of The Queen that starts things and the lure of a big wad of cash hidden in his lover's huge bed that drives the plot. There is little to offend other than the hilarious sexual dialogue and character names; stereotypes are gleefully set up and demolished, and casting coups include a wonderful Steven Berkoff and heavy metal singer Fish.

In The Objective (**) a group of hardened American soldiers led by a duplicitous CIA operative head into Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11, apparently searching for a possible missing nuclear weapon. Soon they are lost in the deadly sacred hills and encountering inexplicable dangers. From Daniel Myrick (Blair Witch Project) this is strong in atmosphere and the grunts are a convincingly gnarly bunch but it suffers from an overtly enigmatic ending, confusing storytelling and, despite many impressive build-ups, not much actually happening.