BOTTOM LINE: With a very strong story, subtly executed and detailed direction, this historical drama about a mother’s strong determination to find her kidnapped son is a touching ordeal of love, sacrifice, brutality and police corruption.

THE GOOD: Director Clint Eastwood has served up a rich tapestry of a film in “Changeling”, which goes far beyond its initial synopsis of a woman trying to find her kidnapped son despite the police insisting that they have found him and force her to take a child who is not her son. What unfolds on screen is a detailed account of the systematic corruption of the Los Angeles Police Department and the brutality of a serial killer who preys on children, and how the disappearance of Christine Collins’ (Angelina Jolie) son is mixed up in all of this treachery. The arrogance and disgusting behaviour of the LAPD, as embodied by the Chief Of Police James Davis (Colm Feore) and Captain J.J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan) who ultimately throw Christine into a mental asylum and will not release her until she signs a document stating that she was wrong in questioning the police about the handling of her son’s case and that the child they brought to her was not her son makes for a touching and excruciating story, even though in the end the hands of the police are forced when the serial killer who may have abducted her child is discovered. On the other hand, there is also the story of that brutal serial killer who abducts his victims with good words and killing them with an axe on a lonely ranch, and then forcing his child-sidekick to help him. All these stories eventually coalesce, almost be accident as the police detective sent to find the killer’s child sidekick was actually there to deport him back to Canada and eventually the kid tells him his horrific tale. An impressive Angelina Jolie puts in a rich performance as Christine Collins, a woman who is strong on the inside but does not always push her point in all cases, befitting the role of the woman in society at the time. As a result, Jolie portrays a unique woman, not all tough, but not all soft either. Clint Eastwood delivers one of his best looking films to date, and his team have carefully recreated the 1920s and 1930s to exacting detail, photographing them with a lovely eloquence and richness that truly make you believe you are there. “Changeling” is an excellent film, brilliantly directed and acted, with a strong story that will engross you from start to finish.

THE BAD: Although Angelina Jolie does an exceptional acting job in this film, her look and her presence as a star do not always match the character she is playing. Christine Collins is strongly interpreted by Eastwood as a woman who is very strong on the inside but does not always show that on the outside; in essence, a character who is in the middle, who can back down if pushed but can also stand up for herself in certain situations. Angelina Jolie unfortunately looks and feels like a tiger of a person, as she always does, and despite her great acting in the film, she still has the look and presence of a tiger which does not quite mix with the character she is portraying. Coupled with the fact that she seems to be crying way too much in this film, even despite the ordeal her character is going through, makes for a small drop in sympathy for her character’s plight. Also, Jeffrey Donovan as Captain J.J. Jones is not all that good, and is perhaps the only member of the cast who has trouble performing with any sense of believability. He has a permanent scowl on his face that I think is meant to be interpreted as being a tough, corrupt policeman, but somehow it looks like he is trying too hard. Thankfully his presence in the film is only in effect an extended cameo.