Cast: Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, Toni Collette, Amanda Peet, Sydney Pollock, William Hurt, Dylan Baker
Director: Roger Michell
Producer: Scott Rudin
Screenplay: Chap Taylor and Michael Tolkin
Cinematography: Salvatore Totino
Music: David Arnold
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Pictures
At first glance, Changing Lanes might easily be mistaken for a thriller. Certainly, the previews make it look like one, and there's no denying that a few of the trappings of the genre are present. But there are no shootings, no car chases, and no explosions. Traditional "action" moments are few and far between, and instances of violence are even more scarce. Changing Lanes doesn't get the adrenaline pumping - but that's not a bad thing, because that isn't its goal. This is a character-centered movie - a film that makes a bold statement about societal pressures and the human condition, and how external influences can cause an otherwise decent human being to do things that are despicable. Those who go to Changing Lanes expecting to see a revenge thriller will probably be moderately entertained; those who look for more will find that there are greater rewards to be had.
On the one hand, we have Gavin Banek (Ben Affleck), a new partner in a high-profile Wall Street law firm that views ethics as a distraction, not as a serious element of everyday business dealings. Unfortunately, Gavin has a conscience of sorts, and, while he doesn't mind engaging a little lying and cheating, he feels exceedingly uncomfortable about going much further. On the other hand, we have Doyle Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson), a reformed alcoholic who is trying to put his life back together. His soon-to-be-ex-wife wants custody of their son, and intends to move to Oregon, far away from Doyle. In a last-ditch effort to prove that he can be a worthy father, Doyle is working hard to control his volcanic temper and play the part of a model citizen. Things seem to be lining up in his favor when an event brings him into contact with Gavin.
The event is a car accident which occurs when both men are in a rush to get to court - Gavin to present a judge with a Power of Appointment and Doyle to participate in a custody hearing. At the scene of the accident, Gavin doesn't want to wait around for the police - he's in too much of a hurry. So he offers Doyle a blank check, which the older man refuses, wanting to do everything by the book. So, wishing Doyle "Better luck next time", Gavin gets in his car and takes off - leaving behind Doyle and his non-functional vehicle, and (accidentally) the Power of Appointment Gavin is so eager to file. Now Doyle has something that Gavin desperately needs, and he's in no mood to return it. What follows is a cat and mouse game of one-upsmanship, as Doyle and Gavin go to increasingly unfriendly lengths to gain the upper hand. When Doyle won't give up the Power of Appointment, Gavin pays someone to hack into his financial records and bankrupt him. Doyle's response to this is potentially lethal.
The intriguing aspect of Changing Lanes is that both Gavin and Doyle are basically average guys caught in an extreme situation. In other circumstances, while they might not be friends, they would never be at each other's throats. Yet events drive Doyle - a loving father and seemingly good-hearted man - to turn into an uncontrolled lunatic, while Gavin reflects on his misdeeds with growing disbelief: defrauding a charity, bankrupting a man, leaving the scene of an accident, forging a legal document, ... Yet, in being brought to the edge, these men recognize things about themselves that they might otherwise not have understood.
Seen from a neutral perspective, aspects of Changing Lanes may come across as contrived and riddled with logical holes. From an internal perspective, however, there's a sort of consistency. The ending is curious. It's as if the filmmakers didn't trust the initial conclusion, so they tacked on a second, more upbeat one. Regardless of whether this is the result of test audience reactions or just a decision made by the director and screenwriters, it doesn't work. The first ending does what it needs to; the second is silly and unnecessary.
The performances are strong, especially those by the two leads. Samuel L. Jackson, who never fails to give his all to a role, turns in another superlative effort, reflecting the despair and rage that fuel Doyle's downward spiral. Ben Affleck, who is typically at his best as a suit or a suitor (as opposed to an action hero - a role that he stumbles through in both Armageddon and The Sum of All Fears), is equally as credible (although not as intense) as Jackson. Supporting actors include Syndey Pollock as Gavin's no-nonsense boss, Amanda Peet as his wife, Toni Collette as his mistress, and William Hurt as Doyle's AA sponsor.
Changing Lanes represents something of a change-of-pace for director Roger Michell, whose resume boasts such titles as Persuasion and Notting Hill. Michell's instincts for characters and relationships serve him well in this forum, however. While a slick action filmmaker like Jan de Bont might have crafted this into a high-wire game of chicken, Michell concentrates on the human aspect. The result is that, while Changing Lanes isn't a perfect movie, it's watchable and compelling, and works on more than one level.
© 2002 James Berardinelli