Rating: 
Summary: The film packs a real whallop.
Review: "Changing Lanes" is everything that its trailer is not, and that's a good thing. Movie previews for this refreshingly different thriller tout it as a fast-paced revenge machine, but in actuality, it moves at a much slower speed, developing its story and characters in a manner that brings us into their lives rather than placing us on the sidelines. The ending is a bit meak, but the suspense is non-stop, the acting superb, and the overall effect a satisfying one. The beginning keeps details at bay, introducing fragments of the puzzle that will later come together. Ben Affleck plays Gavin Banek, a successful young attorney who has been sent by his firm to deliver important files concerning A) a charitable institution, and B) a very disgruntled granddaughter of its now-deceased founder. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we meet Samuel L. Jackson's middle-class father, Doyle Gibson, who is in the process of taking out a loan for a home in the hopes that his ex-wife will accept the action as a peace offering instead of taking their two children to Oregon. The two men are both on their way to the courthouse. They have an accident after Banek attempts to change lanes, causing Gibson to careen into a freeway divider. Gibson wants to exchange insurance information ("I wanna do things the right way"); Banek, in a frenzied rush, gives him a blank check and speeds off, unaware that in his search for his checkbook, an important file landed on the street. Gibson retrieves the file, thumbs a ride to the courthouse, too late to make his statement in the custody case; Banek, who discovers his file is missing, is given an end-of-the-day deadline to come up with the document. This all occurs within the first twenty minutes of the film, but not to worry: there's more to it than what we've seen, or what we think will happen. Much of what goes on centers around the important document, that which delegates the power to make decisions for the institution to the law firm. Banek lies to his two partners, telling them the case was ruled in their favor to tide them over while he attempts to get the file back from Gibson. This is where the good gets even better, as the two men engage in a battle of wills and wits. It's like a game, really, an ongoing silent war in which a double-cross is payed back within the hour. Banek enlists the help of a hacker known for his ability to "help out with things that need helping out." He infiltrates Gibson's bank accounts, bankrupting him of his precious loan ("I need this loan for my life," Gibson later pleads with the teller), setting in motion a chain reaction of events that lead to an uncertain destination. I must say, the film packs a real whallop in its first and second acts. The somewhat slow pacing is in its favor, allowing us to understand the characters while at the same time putting real effort into the explanations of various plot twists and new developments. There is an underlying web of deception underneath the action that centers around the document, the law firm, and the institution, that which I will not reveal. This subplot turns out to be the basis for the thrills, and it is smart and cooly calculated without insulting one's intelligence. Also backing the film is its terrific cast, featuring two leads who play off one other so well, they could carry the movie by themselves. Jackson is a man of many virtues, and he displays a versatility here that is mesmerizing and intense. We feel for this man as a father, and as a person, and can come to understand his reasoning. Affleck has found a role befitting of his acting ability; there is a diversity of emotions to Banek's character, much of which revolves around being held at the whim of a man he hardly knows, and Affleck portrays this exquisitely. The film worked for me right up until the ending, which is well-intentioned, but doesn't quite live up to the goals the material sets for itself. But to think about it further is to realize that there is really no other way for "Changing Lanes" to end without descending into the ludicrousness that plagues most thrillers; the ending we are supplied with is safe while not being totally satisfactory. Up until this point, there are thrills, surprises, and acting gusto aplenty, making the experience an enjoyable and involving one.
Rating: 
Summary: The hard choices that have to be made every day
Review: Starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson, this is the story of how a seemingly small fender-bender incident changed the lives of two men forever. Affleck is cast as Gavin Banek, a young Wall Street lawyer married to the boss's daughter, who is on his way to court to file some papers that were obtained unethically. He doesn't have the document with him, however, and realizes he lost it during his encounter with Jackson on the expressway. Jackson, cast as Doyle Gibson, is a recovering alcoholic, who is also on his way to court. He's in the process of obtaining a mortgage on a modest house and is trying to keep his wife from moving across the country with his two young sons. When he is 20 minutes late for the custody hearing, he loses his case. Both men are now hurtled into a series of confrontations with the kind ofescalating intensity that kept my eyes glued to the screen as the tension increased. The screenplay, by Chap Taylor and Michael Tolkin, was excellent, and kept the audience not only wondering what would happen next, but also gradually understanding the character of each man, and how this affected their next moves. The plot twisted and turned as the men became more and more real, with the human frailties that hurtled the action along, showing how the way that each had been living his life contributed to what would happen next. Some deeply moral and ethical questions were raised with no easy answers. And in, at the end, as each man had to deal with his own personal demons, the conclusion was resolved on a positive note, leaving everyone wiser. Roger Michell, the director, was able to get outstanding performances out of all of the supporting cast members, as well as the stars - most notably Toni Collette as a colleague and sometime mistress of Affleck, Amanda Peet as his wife, Sidney Pollack as the head of the law firm, and Kim Staunton as Jackson's wife. The New York setting was also wonderful and I'm glad that a decision was made not to edit out the World Trade Towers. It was a real and important part of New York, and I personally enjoyed seeing them there, a visual reminder of how quickly things can change, which fit in perfectly with the story. I highly recommend this film, not just for the action, but also for the uncompromising view of how a person's character determines the outcome of situations and the hard choices that have to be made every day. See it!
Rating: 
Summary: The Sweet Taste of Revenge
Review: This engaging, clever thriller is in fact a morality tale that shows the importance of tolerance, patience and respect in today`s society. Although this may sound preachy, the movie is actually quite compelling and consistent, showcasing the darker side of an average person. Ben Affleck and Samuel Jackson give convincing performances as the two antagonists who have a car accident in a morning. Problem is, that little accident will lead to a twisted, troubled day where a revenge process builds a road to insanity and despair. Director Roger Michell knows how to build tension and suspense, delivering a tight social thriller after his previous and unengaging work in "Notting Hill". Sometimes the mood and atmosphere comes close to that of a David Fincher movie, discussing urban paranoia and the anger it generates. Unfortunately, the predictable ending steals some of the impact of the picture, approaching a typical Hollywood resolution. Still, "Changing Lanes" is a very well-crafted movie and one of the more intriguing surprises of 2002.
Rating:
Summary: A social covenant not to go nuts
Review: A mainstream Hollywood film that focuses more on character development than action thrills? Say it isn't so, Joe! Ben Affleck plays Gavin Banek, a young lawyer who's junior partner in a major Wall Street law firm - and married to the daughter of one of the senior partners. His assignment of the day is to present in court an affidavit by which a recently deceased millionaire assigned control of a multimillion dollar charitable foundation to Gavin's firm. Trouble is, he's inadvertently lost it during the aftermath to a minor traffic accident with Doyle Gipson (Samuel Jackson) on a Big Apple expressway. In his hurry to get to court, Banek tried to brush Doyle off with a blank check rather than do the right thing, i.e. exchange insurance information. The accident left Gipson late for his own appearance in court, thereby losing custody of his two sons to his wife who's planning a move to Oregon. Now, Banek has to get that missing document to Her Honor by the end of the day, or he could be open to a charge of fraud. It's not yet noon and both men are in a pressure cooker - Gavin wants his affidavit, and Doyle wants his time back. A recovering alcoholic, Doyle also craves a drink. The premise of this excellent film is that there's a covenant between each citizen and society to keep one's baser emotions from surfacing, thereby keeping social chaos at bay. Both Gipson and Banek are both flawed but otherwise decent men. Indeed, each is Mr. Everyman representing you, me and the next guy. But Gavin needs that file to maintain his career and his whole life. So, as he ratchets up the hassle on Doyle to get it back, the latter, a volatile man in his own right, responds in kind. There are two superb scenes in CHANGING LANES that serve to illustrate the compromises that one might make as life's ethical gray areas are navigated for long term survival. One is when Gavin's wife Cynthia (Amanda Peet) reveals the reason why she married him. The other comes towards the film's conclusion when Gavin's boss and father-in-law (Sydney Pollack) describes the standard of conduct by which he judges himself at the end of each day. Both will probably sound familiar to many viewers. And who will throw the first stone? This is arguably Affleck's best and most substantive role to date. Jackson, a superb actor of long standing, is at his best. Peet, Toni Colette (as Gavin's colleague and former lover) and Kim Staunton (as Doyle's long-suffering wife) are all excellent as Ms. Everywoman trying to cope with their respective man's flaws in much the same way, I suspect, as every woman does in real life. This is intelligent scriptwriting. My only quarrel with CHANGING LANES is that the ending was too Tinseltown pat. I would rather have seen a darker, alternate version in which the irrational human tendency towards self-destruction perhaps triumphs. That, too, is real life, and such would have presented a morality play of greater impact.
Rating:
Summary: CRASH! BOOM! BANG! (in a restrained sort of way)
Review: Gavin Banek (Ben Affleck) is a young lawyer who works for a powerful firm and is married to his boss's daughter (Amanda Peet, Banek's boss/father-in-law is played by director Sydney Pollack).
Doyle Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson) is an average working class Joe and recovering alcoholic. Both men obviously have nothing in common, but their paths cross when their cars collide on the freeway. Late for work, the self-absorbed yuppie Banek offers Gipson a blank check and hastily abandons the scene of the accident. However, Gipson has stolen one of Banek's legal files containing info which is pertinent to a case he is trying. Luckily for him, the judge gives Banek till day's end to recover the file. Sounds simple? No way, Jose. Because the collision has also had an undesirable effect on Gipson's day as well; as his lateness has cost him a custody battle for his sons. What is the obvious solution to the problem? Good ol' reliable blackmail, of course.
Later Banek and Gipson's paths cross again and Banek once more attempts to make amends or the accident, but Gipson is a man with a chip on his shoulder the size of Al Gore's ego and he's not about to make life easy for Banek; who just happens to be married to the boss's daughter.
CHANGING LANES is a movie which is never boring, and is helped a lot by Jackson's usual strong performance. Ben Affleck on the other hand, is Ben Affleck. It's amazing how with all the money he's made Ben doesn't seem to possess the initiative to take acting lessons; and it's also a shame that Toni Collette isn't given much to do in her role here as Affleck's secretary. That's my only complaint. CHANGING LANES is one of those pictures which is becoming a rare commodity in Hollywood these days: a film with intelligence and integrity (plus the requisite car chase sequence). Well worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Drama
Review: Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson are engaged in a powerful drama in this movie. The movie takes places in New York, where a car accident at the beginning of the movie brings together Affleck, an attorney at a prestigious law firm named Gavin Banek, and Jackson, as recovering alcoholic Doyle Gipson who is trying to prevent his ex-wife from moving to Oregon with his two children. Gipson's car is broken down with a flat tire and he's due in child custody court. Banek is too busy to help, and he races off to his own appointment at court, where he is to present documents to the judge which prove that a old, dying man had left millions to the law firm instead of rewarding his surviving relatives. The crucial legal documents he needed for court were left behind at the scene of the car accident. Gipson, because of his tardiness loses any claim to visitation or custody of his children which means his ex-wife will move the children with her to Oregon. Gipson has Banek's files, however, which keeps these two tied together, and a game of revenge between the two begins. "I just want my time back," Gipson explains to Banek, trying to get the man to empathize with his problems. Banek's career is on the line, and without those papers the law firm could be duly implicated in criminal fraud. This is a fantastic drama with many complexities and great characters. Affleck and Jackson deliver incredible performances and I was pleasantly surprised with the depth and originality of this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A Film With a Positive Message
Review: Director Roger Michell scored big with "Notting Hill," a feel good movie about love in which the unlikely pairing of film superstar Julia Roberts and impoverished book store proprietor Hugh Grant resulted in gloriously unselfish love. "Changing Lanes" is a drama about greed tugging at the soul of society and how one young man responds, producing another feel good movie of sorts by the film's finale. Ben Affleck is a "What Makes Sammy Run?" style lawyer from New York who at the tender age of 29 has already made it to partner level in the highly successful firm run by his father-in-law, played by prominent director and talented character actor Sydney Pollack. On his way to court and an important probate hearing for control of the foundation previously headed by a now deceased, wealthy entrepreneur-philanthropist, the young man in a hurry becomes involved in a fender bender with Samuel L. Jackson. The fender bender has a major impact on both drivers. Jackson, an insurance salesman fighting a battle against alcohol addiction, misses a crucial custody hearing involving his wife and children. His wife is slated to move to Oregon and seeks to take Jackson's children with her while, through great effort, he has managed to string together a deal for a fixer-upper house, hoping this will keep her in New York and prompt her to drop her divorce action against him. The accident makes him late for the hearing as full custody is granted to his wife. He does not get to make his case. Affleck suffers in a different way. In the mixup following the accident Affleck leaves behind the all-important file containing the signature of the dying philanthropist granting the law firm for which the young lawyer works total control of the foundation's money. This crucial document ends up in Jackson's hands. When Affleck through happenstance manages to see Jackson on the street and seeks help, the angry insurance salesman lets him know what he thinks of his discourtesy and indifference to his plight, reminding him that he fled the scene of the accident. When Affleck plays hardball and has Jackson's credit ruined through employing a skilled Internet hacker, his tough adversary fights back on his own terms. After the action has escalated to an accelerated level the two adversaries develop a respect for each other and begin to recognize that in such a situation an ethical solution is the best course for both of them. Affleck grows up in a hurry, facing the blunt truth that in securing the signature of a dying man no longer in control of his faculties he has engaged in fraud on behalf of the firm. When he expresses his misgivings to Pollack, he is bluntly told to wise up and do his job. Pollack states that the philanthropist used some shady methods to acquire his fortune, and that is the way the game is played in the corporate and professional big leagues, in a take no prisoners manner with moral qualms left behind. To do less is to lose the race. At the film's end Affleck is a changed man who is able to turn the tables on Pollack in a clever manner. He will no longer be a hired gun who abandons ethical considerations in the pursuit of more money and fame.
Rating:
Summary: More good than harm at the end of the day
Review: Changing Lanes is most of all a story about good and bad and how far people will go to improve their own life over the lives of others. Due to a strange mixup the lives of Samuel L Jackson and a good Ben Affleck are changed forever. Jackson plays an alcoholic who wants his children back and Affleck plays a lawyer on Wall Street. Evryone around him is urging him to bend the rules to get things done, something he regrets in the end. it's a good thriller with almost no violence, explosions etc. It's worth seeing, also to see what a great actor Jackson is.
Rating:
Summary: THE RIGHT THING TO DO
Review: Ben Affleck as Gavin is introduced by giving a eulogized speech on a recently deceased millionaire who has donated money to charities in great amounts. Affleck is an attorney who is facing charges that the will stipulating that his law firm handle this charitable donation is not valid.
Samuel L. Jackson is Doyle Gipson, an alcoholic attending AA classes shephereded by William Hurt. He is also in a brutal custody battle for his two children, and has applied for a loan to buy a house to keep his wife from taking his boys to Oregon.
Both men are on their way to the courthouse when inattention on both drivers' parts results in a fender-bender. Affleck offers a blank check to Jackson for the damages, but Jackson wants to do it the right way, refusing the check. Affleck blows him off as he must get to the courtroom to present his documentation. He leaves Jackson stranded, along with the document of assignment that he dropped out of his briefcase. Jackson finds the document and takes off with it to court. Ironically, both men were going to the same courthouse and had Affleck offered Jackson a ride, fate would have turned out differently.
From this point on, it is a desperate game of payback and lies as Affleck tries to get the document back. He arranges for a computer geek to "bankrupt" Jackson and Jackson loses everything; it also appears that Affleck may lose it all, too.
CHANGING LANES is a dark, yet ultimately, rewarding experience. Jackson plays against type; Ben Affleck shows a lot of maturity in his performance, and they have a strong supporting cast in Richard Jenkins, Sydney Pollack and Toni Collette.
CHANGING LANES shows how a quick, irresponsible action can make a drastic change in one's life.
Compelling and well done.
Rating:
Summary: Battle of the wills
Review: Ben Affleck and Smaual L. Jackson plays two average men who become engaged in a real mean war of wills. Affleck is a rich lawyer who can turn off your credit if he wants to; which hurts Jackson's chances to get a loan he needs badly. On the other hand Jackson is very mean and will take the bolts off Affleck's tires, nearly killing him. Both of these men go wildly out of control on taking their vengence out on each other; but it soon becomes a war of the classes (black and white never becomes an issue). The tension is tight, I mean it's like a rope around your neck; you will not be able to breathe until it's over. This is one of the best thrillers in many years, and most likely will not be surpassed for a long time to come. Ben Affleck and Samula L. Jackson are excellent, they are one of the best teams in movies I have ever seen. I just don't know if I could compare them to anyone; Paul Newman and Robert Redford is the only ones that come close. You can never take your eyes off them. Amanda Pete is the ice princess, and plays it well. Sydney Pollack is real good as Affleck's boss, he is pretty creepy in a Donald Trump with out a heart (if that's possable). It's an R rated thriller, but dosn't have a lot of violence, and next to no blood; the fighting is all mental. That said, it is pretty bad how low and vicious these men will go. It's pretty scary.
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