Changing Lanes (2002)

Director:

Roger Michell

Writers (WGA):

Chap Taylor (story)
Chap Taylor (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

An ambitious lawyer, a desperate father, they had no reason to meet, until today,

Plot:

The story of what happens one day in New York when a young lawyer and a businessman share a small automobile accident on F.D.R. Drive and their mutual road rage escalates into a feud.

Plot Keywords:

Feud | Lawyer | Road Rage | Judge | Insurance Agent

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Gavin Banek
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Doyle Gipson
Kim Staunton	...	Valerie Gipson
Toni Collette	...	Michelle
Sydney Pollack	...	Stephen Delano
Tina Sloan	...	Mrs. Delano
Richard Jenkins	...	Walter Arnell
Akil Walker	...	Stephen Gipson
Cole Hawkins	...	Danny Gipson
Ileen Getz	...	Ellen
Jennifer Dundas	...	Mina Dunne (as Jennifer Dundas Lowe)
Matt Malloy	...	Ron Cabot
Amanda Peet	...	Cynthia Delano Banek
Myra Lucretia Taylor	...	Judge Frances Abarbanel
Bruce Altman	...	Terry Kaufman

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

98 min | Turkey:91 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Austria:10 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38938) | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bergen County Court House - 10 Main Street, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Ben Affleck was called for re-shoots on Pearl Harbor (2001) during principal photography on this movie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the courtroom, the nameplate for the judge says "Judge" Arbarbanel. However, in New York State, the person who presides over an estate matter or probate proceedings is formally known as "Surrogate" not "Judge". The nameplate would reflect this and refer to the Surrogate as "Hon. Surrogate Arbaranel". The court would also be referred to by all present as "the Surrogate's court", not the "probate court".

Quotes:

[first lines]
Doyle Gipson: Think I'll make this the boys' room.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in New Frontiers: Making 'The Missing' (2004) (V)

Surprisingly Good

This movie was surprisingly good, for many reasons. The most obvious is probably that the characters develop before, during, and after the presented story, as the film opens at a critical time for both of them and closes with them having changed major parts in their lives.

I expected this to be a glorified version of Madd's Spy vs. Spy, or something of that nature, given the hype. However, it is not at the same pace at all... the violence is not cartoonish, its realistic. The characters are not simple, they are complex. They "have issues" and are both trying to find a better sense of balance in their lives, both do things which they regret... all in all, this is one of the most "human" movies I've ever watched.

Even though the characters are deep, the movie does not try to emphasis it with drawn out scenes with dramatic music or anything, which actually makes it more like watching real people than watching a movie. It also makes for a more powerful effect overall because it is up to the watcher to notice the subtleties.

The acting and directing are very well done, and there is some writing which surprised me in that it showed more about the characters rather than relating directly to the main conflict (I don't want to give too much detail and spoil it). The pacing is good and kept me interested throughout, partially to see what the main characters would do next and partially to see what, if anything, they would learn from the experience.

It is not as "epic" as something like Shawshank Redeption, and doesn't deal with esoteric themes such as Meet Joe Black or ominous themes such as Equilibirum or 1984(the novel), but in a way it is more epic because it deals with normal people who struggle to be beneficial humans despite major mistakes, pressures, and conflicts.