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 Director
:Roger Michell
Starring
: Ben Affleck, Samuel L Jackson, Kim Staunton, Toni Collette,
Sydney Pollack, Amanda Peet.
Picture
2.35:1 Anamorphic, DD 5.1, Dual-Layer, Keep Case
Running
Time : 99 mins
See
this is you like : Falling Down, A Civil Action
The
story:
One
wrong turn deserves another.
Gavin
Banek, an attorney (Ben Affleck) in a rush to make a court
appointment to file legal papers involving a multi-million
dollar trust case accidentally collides with an alcoholic
insurance salesman (Samuel Jackson) also in a rush for a
court appointment involving the custody of his children.
Gavin leaves the scene of the accident and strands the salesman,
causing him to miss his custody hearing. During the process
of the post-crash discussion, Gavin accidentally drops the
papers he needs to present in court. The judge gives him
until the end of the day to present the papers and thus
begins a cat and mouse game between the proponents. A few
questionable actions later on both parties' part, they finally
start questioning their scruples. In the end, both come
to a new understanding of what is important and embark in
new ethical and moral direction..
The
summary:
Roger Michell (Notting Hill) heads up his first big Hollywood
release with Ben Affleck and Samuel L Jackson in tow. What
more could you ask for ? well firstly you could make the
plot more interesting and then thank your two stars for
saving this film from the edge of obscurity.
Changing
lanes gets off to a very good start. The camera cuts back
and forth between two worlds. In one we have a successful
young law partner (Ben Affleck), working for his father-in-law.
He operates on the edge of morality and legality, sometimes
crossing over, while doing good within the community. His
wife (Amanda Peet) understands and accepts that and they
have a nice, wealthy life. In the other we have a recovering
alcoholic father (Samuel L. Jackson) who is battling to
keep his wife and two sons from moving to Oregon, trying
to secure a loan to buy his very first house, so they can
have a home and stay in NYC, and perhaps become a family
again.
As
both characters are on the freeway into the city, the lawyer
changes lanes into the father, causing an accident that
also disables the other car. Late for a very important court
date, the lawyer gives a signed blank check and rudely leaves
the scene of the accident with the prophetic "better
luck next time". This causes the father to be late
for his court appointment and he loses custody of his sons.
Angered by the days events and thinking that each has been
dealt a bad hand each of the protagonists embarks on a day
of one-upmanship against the other. The resulting mess proves
to both of them that two wrongs do not make a right.
All
this sets up great possibilities that the writer and director
end up fumbling, for the most part.
A pretty good, and interesting, film, that tries very hard
to highlight its originality but could have been so much
more. The second half plays out like virtually all other
"cross" and "double-cross" films until
you reach its by then obvious ending. Its Jackson and Affleck
that save this movies fall from grace by both offering very
real performances. Sadly their level of commitment to the
movie will not be rewarded by its obvious mediocrity.
The
DVD is a very much average affair that seems to be OK with
its averageness. Sound and picture are both good and the
extra's are solid - if somewhat scarce. Overall I liked
this film and would recommend it to others - although it
does hover on the border of popularity and will not appeal
to everyone.
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