April 26, 2002

by Veronica Mixon

I'm not often surprised by a film but CHANGING LANES proved to be a wonderful surprise. It is not what it's advertised to be - an urban thriller. So don't let the tacky trailer put you off. Get the theater - quickly because CHANGING LANES is a clever, thought-provoking look a contemporary ethics and rage.

Despite September 11th, we are still a society greedy for instant gratification and the good life at any cost. In the current Hollywood climate, we rarely deal with our feelings on film and we only pay lip service to decent values - usually after something tragic has happened. So, I wasn't surprised at the negative grumbling from some of the moviegoers who attended the same screening that I did. The angry men that Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson portray are people that no one wants to tangle with and yet, very often they are people that we are acquainted with in an intimate way. So, CHANGING LANES may possibly touch audiences in ways few recent movies have.

Two men from different worlds collide as they speed along the highway on their way to court. Gavin Banek (Ben Affleck) is a hotshot Wall Street lawyer who must file papers that will make his bosses a lot of dough. Doyle Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson) is an insurance agent who is struggling to keep his family from moving away from him. He has just made arrangements with a bank to purchase a house and hopefully start fresh with his wife (Kim Staunton) and two sons. But the fender bender that destroys Doyle's car delays both men.

First Gavin offends Doyle by offering him a blank check and then, he drives away with offering Doyle a ride into the city. But, he leaves behind a crucible file, which Doyle picks up. In court, neither man gets what he expects. Gavin must deliver the file to the judge by the end of the workday and Doyle simply loses custody and watches his frustrated wife march out of court. When Gavin approaches Doyle, he is in no mood to do anyone any favors.

"Can you give me back my time - the few hours I lost?" he screams enraged at Gavin before heading to a bar. An alcoholic, Doyle calls his sponsor (William Hurt). Meanwhile, a terrified Gavin faces a moral dilemma when he discovers the deception of his boss and father-in-law (Sydney Pollack). He confides in a colleague, Michelle (Toni Collette) who helps him. Gavin and Doyle play a cat-and-mouse-game with each other metting out punishment and taunts like two bullies on a school yard. Both men must reexamine their choices, their addictions and their personal relationships.

Director Roger Michell keeps the audience on edge with the erratic, fast-paced movement of New York City and screenwriter Chap Taylor has provided an intriguing story. This is a terrific drama! For once, the women aren't totally left out. There are small intimate powerful scenes where Toni Collette, Kim Staunton and Amanda Peet as Gavin's wife deliver intense, emotional performances. Furthermore, it's the best work of both Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson. Affleck finally lives up to the promise of Chasing Amy and the hype of Good Will Hunting fame. And, Jackson is stunning as an ordinary African American guy who is determined to master his demons and make his life better. None of the performances are sentimental or stagy. It is simply great acting.