"Changing Lanes" – Drama that Accelerates
Everyone is a product of his or her own environment. Those with whom you interact, the annoyances with which you have to deal, and the limitations of your situation forge the essence of your lives. Unfortunately, most people succumb to their surroundings, feeling helpless because they don't know how to handle their situation. Helplessness begets anger; anger begets vengeance; and vengeance ultimately leads to regret.
Anxiety seems to be a by-product of living in a place like New York City. Taxis change lanes with reckless abandon, pedestrians challenge oncoming cars, the summer months are muggy, and everyone is in too much of a hurry to say 'hello.' "Changing Lanes" is a gritty character study of two men who are trapped in their own unique but similar environments. And, when their universes collide, the worst comes out.
The two men, Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson) who is hardened but loving and Banek (Ben Affleck) who is unscrupulous yet vulnerable, meet as a result of an accident. Both are desperate to get to court on time. Gipson needs to show the divorce judge that he has bought a house so that his wife won't get custody of the kids and move away. Meanwhile, Banek is a lawyer who needs to file a form proving that a recently deceased client has turned over control of his multi-million foundation to Banek's law firm. Banek drives away shouting apologetically "better luck next time."
This is going to be a long day for the both of them. Gipson is 20 minutes late. In his absence, the court has made a decision in his wife's favor. Meanwhile, Banek rushes to his appointment. However, he discovers that a crucial folder is missing from his briefcase. Apparently, he dropped it at the accident scene.
Things finish right only when they start right. But, nothing has gone right for these two. Banek wants his file back; Gipson wants his time back. And these two engage in a series of tactics to humiliate the other.
But this film is not about payback. It's more human and delves into the emotions and motivations that drive them towards their actions. And they'll hit bottom before realizing that they need to come up for air.
Gipson is a recovering alcoholic. But, as his AA sponsor (William Hurt) notes, "booze isn't really your drug of choice. You're addicted to chaos." Gipson enters a bar when things look particularly dreary. But we realize that he's there not to drink but to provoke others. Yet it's hard to change one's life just as it is to change lanes on the treacherous FDR on a rainy afternoon.
Banek meanwhile has been living his life on the edge of morality. He teeters on it constantly in his quest to ascend the ranks of Wall Street lawyers. What a day he has had – he is a party to fraud, he lied to his boss, he left the scene of an accident, and he bankrupted somebody he doesn't even know. And the day isn't even half over.
The film is a vibrant drama in which its strength lies in the two characters whose values are dissected and examined. We see that they are like druggies, prisoners of their environment that struggle for clarity. But anger clouds their vision and it's hard to change one's life just as it is to change lanes on the treacherous FDR on a rainy afternoon.
Grade: B
S: 0 out of 3 L: 2 out of 3 V: 1 out of 3
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