Changing Lanes

Review by Clint Morris

Samuel L. Jackson is pretty much on the same-course as usual, but Ben Affleck gets off the habitual freeway for Changing Lanes, an interesting new battle-of-the-wits feature from director Roger Mitchell (Notting Hill).

Racing along FDR Drive on Good Friday morning, two New York City drivers - bigheaded rich-guy attorney Gavin Banek (Ben Affleck) and rickety rehabilitated alcoholic Doyle Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson) - crash into each other while trying to merge into the same lane.

Seems both are due at court - for different reasons. Gavin in a battle for a multi-million dollar trust, and Doyle for a last ditch attempt to keep his sons in home terrain.

What could have been a polite change of name and address is then turned into a frazzled mess. Gavin wants to hastily write Doyle a blank check for all damages, but Doyle wants to leisurely swap all applicable insurance information.

Infuriated, Gavin speeds off, cheerily calling "Better luck next time!" But the boastful advocate drops the key document in his case: a power of attorney from a deceased donor, which the afflicted Doyle retrieves.

Doyle decides to hang onto the file and use it as bait against aforementioned foe - and thus begins a noxious, witty game of trick or treat.

Changing Lanes is riveting cinema: Affleck and Jackson are consistently powerful, Mitchell's theme delivers nothing like the black and white farce one would expect, and while some plot points might get brushed under the windshield wiper, the end result is a first-rate white-knuckler.

3.5 out of 5

Changing Lanes
Australian release: Thursday November 21
Cast: Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, Toni Collette, Sydney Pollack, Dylan Baker, William Hurt.
Director: Roger Michell.
Website: Click here

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