Changeling

Changeling is an inspirational movie on a woman's perseverance and strength. Based on a true events of Christine Collins, a mother who had lost her son, Walter Collins.

Mrs Collins lost her son Walter in 1928. Five month after she reported a missing child, the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) found a boy who matched the description of her missing son. They united the mother and son, trying to get some good publicity. When the mother and son first met, Mrs Collins insisted that the boy wasn't her son but was told to give it a few days on a trial basis by Caption Jones.

She made several attempts to explain to Captain Jones that the boy is an impostor and pleaded with the police officer to continue with their search for her missing boy. Instead of the continued search for her missing boy, the corrupted LAPD made official announcements and reports to denounce Mrs Collins, making her look like a derelict mother who was shirking from her responsibility.

Mrs Collins was lucky to have gotten the support of a Reverend Gustav Briegleb, a Presbyterian minister and pioneer radio evangelist, who was on a noble vendetta exposing the corrupted LAPD. Unable to accept the fact that the police refused to admit their mistake, she collected evidence and letters of from school teachers and medical doctors to make her claim that the boy was not her son.

Unable to handle more bad publicity, the corrupted Captain Jones made an incarceration and had Mrs Collins locked up in the local asylum on Code 12 before she is due to release her statement via the Reverend's radio network. She discovered many other patients who was locked up on code 12, and found that they had one thing in common; they had offended someone in the police force. This incident opened another can of worms which the LAPD is trying to hide.

In the meantime, a major discovery was made on a Wineville ranch, which revealed the gruesome abuse and murder of 20 young boys in the California region. Walter Collins was one of the boy who had been identified to have been taken captive and might have been killed. Court cases were pursued with the LAPD and Winewile ranch murder. But Mrs Collins never found her son.

Changeling highlighted the level of corruption during that period of time and how the society has treated women badly, putting them down as crazy, all emotional and unable to think with their brains. I'm glad to see by Mrs Collins standing up against the odds. It is not easy especially during her era. I salute her for her strength, conviction and will power. Well done!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 fairy clouds. Changeling is an amazing story. The media has done injustice to this movie on simplifying the storyline to just a woman and her lost son. The movie highlighted a serious element which will make you ponder over obligation vs face value. Despite the gloom and desperation, you see still hope. Not a movie for the simpleton but a great one for those who love to be challenged.