Both Affleck and Jackson turn in very good performances, and are both very natural in their respective roles. There are several interesting side characters including Sydney Pollack as Banek’s unforgiving father-in-law and Richard Jenkins as a senior partner at the law firm. William Hurt plays a rather thankless role as Jackson’s AA sponsor. Hurt does have a great scene where he speculates that Jackson is more addicted to chaos than to alcohol.
Overall I found this film to be highly entertaining and even thought-provoking. The Blu-ray disc doesn’t really offer anything new (from the DVD) in the way of features. There is a commentary track from director Robert Mitchell, a “making of” featurette, “A Writer’s Perspective” featurette, a few deleted scenes, and the theatrical trailer.
The Blu-ray format does lend itself well to the picture and sound. To go with the theme of the movie, the story takes place on a rainy, overcast day. The 1080p high definition video presentation emphasizes the dreariness of the setting. The city is gray, and everything in Doyle Gipson’s life is gray and dull. The only bright spot in the world of this film is the high class law firm offices. The sound is presented in 5.1 Dolby TrueHD. While it’s not a movie that is particularly noteworthy for sound, the format really makes the background noises of everyday life apparent. There is the pouring rain, the sound of footsteps, and the typical sounds of an office. The prominence of these little details helps the film setting stay familiar and relateable.
Changing Lanes is not for anyone looking for a thriller, but will satisfy those looking for an entertaining character piece with good performances.
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