Changing Lanes
for language.
Reviewed by: Gregg Groninger
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Average |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Adults |
| Genre: | Thriller |
| Length: | 1 hr. 39 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2002 |
| USA Release: |
| Featuring | Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Affleck, Toni Collette, Sydney Pollack, William Hurt |
| Director |
Roger Michell |
| Producer | Scott Rudin |
| Distributor |
“Changing Lanes” is a dark and introspective movie about anger and conscience. It starts off with an interstate fender-bender between an alcoholic insurance salesman (Samuel L. Jackson) and a Wall Street lawyer (Ben Affleck).
Both men are late for appointments. Gavin Baneck (Affleck) leaves behind an important folder with the only documents in a fraud case against his firm. Doyle Gibson (Jackson) is left stranded and late for his child custody court date. Such incidents set off a vengeful day in which each man tries to one-up the other, finding themselves ultimately searching their souls for their own morality’s response. But what happens in real life often doesn’t reflect what we morally know should be done.
Christians will notice some great potential for discussion about our own morality, and the fact that we as humans often come up short. For example, Gavin, after walking away from his sabotaged car, finds himself in a church confessional. The priest talks to Gavin as he looks for the meaning of life and how to find happiness. I waited for the priests’ answer but Gavin threw a fit and left unfulfilled.
I wanted to shout out “Ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior,” but like Gavin I left the movie feeling unfulfilled.
The acting in “Changing Lanes” is quite good, reminding me of Michael Douglas’ “Falling Down”. The profanity is average, but be warned that there are several instances of the Lord’s name being taken in vain.
Editor’s Note: If used as a discussion starter for a look at morality, you may want to become familiar with the approach that Ray Comfort uses in his article “Am I good enough to go to Heaven?” Also, apologist Daryl Witmer tells an interesting story of a conversation he had with a hospitalized cancer victim who is brought to the place where he examines his own morality and considers “How good is good enough in light of a perfect God?.”
Far more subtle and complex than a simple morality play, “Changing Lanes” only hints at the possible solution to our dilemma and leaves us longing for the more transcendent resolution… Like ships without rudders, the removal of spiritual communities and their moral teachings leave Gavin’s father-in-law explaining that he has no standard by which to evaluate his behaviors. He says that he “tries, by the end of the day to do a little more good than harm.”
In a similar way, Gavin’s wife (Amanda Peet) explains that she grew up in the opulence gained by her father’s ability to use the law to cheat and deceive, and that she chose Gavin because she knew he would provide for her in the same way her father had. She did not choose a moral man because she wanted the pleasures immorality could afford.
In all of our lives, there are moments when we make decisions to either care for one another in honesty and love or destroy one another with whatever resources we have at our disposal.
Though “Changing Lanes” doesn’t provide the answer it hints at throughout the film, it clearly presents the choices we are called upon to make.” Their Rating: [4 stars (their highest)]
[Average / 3½]
There is no sexual content to the film, although Affleck does kiss a former mistress on the cheek. Profanity is spare (either that, or I was so engrossed that I didn’t hear it, which is usually not the case), and comes from characters whom you would expect it to come from (that is, those whose moral standards are not particularly high)… It seemed that from the start, both characters wanted to do the right thing (and this is a phrase that comes up throughout the movie), but find themselves, in their desperation, very capable of doing any but that.
As both of their lives threaten to disintegrate as the games and the stakes escalate, both are also forced to really look at themselves, and decide what kind of human beings they want to be. This is not a case of picking your bad guy and then whooping and hollering when he “gets” the other guy.
I found myself hurting and rooting for both of them. Certainly “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” repentance, and offering and receiving forgiveness are major themes in this movie. The ending is what every Christian I know would want it to be, and I found it immensely satisfying.
[Better than Average / 4½]
[Better than Average / 4]
[Average / 4]
[Average / 4]
none
[Average / 1½]
They really, sincerely, want to do what is right, but they face obstacles (including their own characters) in doing so. It reminded me of the words of Paul when he wrote about his thorn in the flesh.
The film is rich in the Gospel themes of personal struggle, redemption and forgiveness. In many ways, the film asks the questions we all face (or should): How do we choose the right? What do we do about things that keep us from choosing the right? Once we make a mistake, are we doomed to repeat it? How should we treat others who treat us wrongly?
And why should we do what is right anyway, one of the characters has the audacity to ask God. Unlike many films, this one offers plenty to think and talk about.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]