I know I’m really, really late to comment on this . . . but I never get to movies these days and almost always have to wait until things come out on DVD. I suspect many of you are floating in my boat, so here goes: Did anyone else think that Angelina Jolie’s movie Changeling (directed by Clint Eastwood and co-starring John Malkovich) was a perfect argument against big, intrusive, and especially "expert" driven government? Perhaps it did not intend to be that . . . but it was based on a true story and the truth will out, as they say. Anyway, I thought it was a terrific and gripping movie.
Rumors from Hollywierd suggest that Ms Jolie (and her Bo.. Brad) might be closeted libertarians... hence her williness to be in the forthcoming production of Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
Her father John Voight (sp?... don't care) is a conservative and appears regularly on conservative forums (Hugh Hewitt show, American Carol, an op-ed from time to time). Wouldn't surprise me if they were. They certainly seem to be pro-life/adoption.
I also found Changeling to be of interest for its positive portrayal of a figure associated with organized religion--not exactly something you expect out of a Hollywood product these days. [Spoilers appear below; be warned.] Malkovich's character, the crusading reverend who helps Christine (Angelina Jolie), is apparently a composite of several radio preachers of the time who became involved in the Collins case. He's portrayed in utter and affecting earnest as a decent and honest man who has no agenda other than to be helpful to a beleaguered woman and expose the corruption of a lawless local constabulary. (And yet the police are not all bad, either, since one detective who's committed to his job cracks the murder case.)
This point particularly struck me after finally getting around, just the other day, to seeing Eastwood's excellent Gran Torino, which is also noteworthy for its appreciative depiction of a Catholic priest and the faith tradition that he represents. Indeed, I think GT has to be the most genuinely "Catholic" movie I've seen in quite a long time. Both it and Changeling are fine, thoughtful films. Eastwood is 78. If he has more movies as good as these two in him, filmgoers should hope that he's able to keep working for a long, long time.