Changing Lanes

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B     Extras: B     Film: B

 

To my surprise, Changing Lanes proved two things and that is Ben Affleck does have some acting chops and Samuel L. Jackson can play a subdued character just as effectively as his typical over-the-top roles.  Not only did Changing Lanes prove these two things, but it also turned out to be a good film.  The film is very solid, well crafted, and well executed with a nice dosage of suspense and thrill.  There are also moments where the viewer might be sweating as much as Ben Affleck’s character. 

 

Affleck plays a highbrow lawyer within a firm that is run by the father of his fiancée.  So naturally, he has everything made for him, but at the same time he is on pins and needles.  A small fender bender occurs on his way to court and in the rush of things he blows off the Jackson character in order to make it to court on time.  Well, things could not have worked out more perfectly because in his rush he left the important documents behind at the site of the accident and right into the arms of Jackson’s character.  This is where it all begins.  What could have been an avoidable situation now sets up the rest of the film into a game of ‘one up’. 

 

Now, the twist in the story is that both characters ending up getting screwed in the deal because one was on the way to court while the other was trying to get a house in order to prove to his ex that he is capable of seeing his kids.  This will prove to her that he can be a fit father because we find out later in the story that he has a major drinking problem and is recovering.  Both characters are in a bind, but they are so full of pride that they slowly become more interested in harming the other rather than actually resolving the issue. 

 

It’s interesting how one bad decision can lead to a whole avalanche of problems.  Changing Lanes deals with our ability to do what is probably one of the hardest things in life to whole-heartedly do and that is to forgive.  Forgiveness is such a hard thing because it involves forgetting about ourselves for a moment and focusing on the interest of others.  Although wrong choices lead us down dangerous paths sometimes it is the only way we will learn.  If we take the path with less thorns we might end up unfettered, but what have we learned.  The rocky road that lies ahead might not be the easy one, but it is through trial and tribulation that we find out who we are and who we want to be. 

 

Changing Lanes is one of Paramount’s better films in recent years.  It also drew in a decent crowd at the box office, which was no doubt due to the leads.  The DVD presents the film in a stellar transfer at its original ratio of 2.35:1.  Although there is no mention of the film being in scope on the back package, it is and is also enhanced for 16X9 TV’s.  The transfer accurately captures the quality of the film and continuing with the latest trend the film has a washed out appearance.  It was also shot in a more documentary type of style with jerky camera moves and natural lighting.  Certain TV shows are now starting to go for this look such as Fox’s hit TV show 24.  It is an effective look, but some viewers might be turned off by some of the movement. Since the film has a more gritty appearance and the fact that it was shot in Super 35, detail is more of a problem than normal.  Colors are sometimes bland especially during interior shots.

 

The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and although it is a very rambunctious mix there are limitations due to the fact that DTS 5.1 was not included.  Paramount, with exception to the new edition of the Jack Ryan films, has yet to include DTS on their titles.  Like MGM, Paramount is holding itself back from doing superior work to their DVD’s.  The dialogue is spaced quite well in the front three channels, while certain directional effects and music comes from behind in the surrounds. 

 

The special features include a commentary provided by the director Roger Mitchell as well as a few other short, but passable supplements.  There is a ‘making of’ feature and a “writer’s perspective featurette” as well.  The writers are usually neglected when it comes time to pulling together extras for DVD’s, so this was a nice bonus.  There are a few extras scenes as well as deleted scenes here to view as well.  The trailer is another nice extra because it is one of the better trailers for a recent film.

 

Overall a very satisfying film and DVD with the only complaint going to the lack of DTS and the lackluster picture, which would look much better if a high bit rate transfer was performed.  Many will find this passable though and the added extras make it worth owning for the time being. 

 

 

-   Nate Goss