What would you do if your son was kidnapped and then miraculously returned after missing for several months? What would you do if you slowly began to suspect that the boy who came back to you was not your son, and the evidence became too great to ignore? What if no one believed you, and you were put away in an insane asylum? The Changeling, the new film by Clint Eastwood and starring Angelina Jolie, addresses a mother's worst nightmare come to life.

The could-be-slow plot reveals Angelina Jolie as the mother of the missing boy and John Malkovich portraying a sympathetic priest, with the two joining together to uncover the truth and challenge corruption in the Los Angeles police department. Based on real events involving a lost boy who was never found and another young boy who claimed to be the missing boy, the case was never truly solved and remains a mystery to this day.

The concept has promise, and the trailer gives us enough to like. The costuming, expertly done by Deborah Hopper who has frequently worked on Eastwood projects in the past, looks to be perfectly suited and gorgeous and will surely garner an Oscar nomination. Angelina Jolie looks luminous as always, her dark eyes and hair perfectly suited to the vintage washed-out look of the film.

The film was screened at Cannes, and built a slow buzz, but one must wonder why the late date for the release of a trailer? With big names such as Malkovich, Jolie, and Amy Ryan in the leads, it seems as if there should be a bigger to-do made about the film. Perhaps it is the darker subject matter that has audiences hesitant, as it's hard to get excited about a film in which child kidnapping and possible murder figures largely. Maybe this is a bid for an Oscar nomination, as we've yet to see the slew of artsy films that usually accompanies the end of the year.

The Changeling is pegged as a mysterious thriller, and it could be good as it definitely has potential. The scenic views of an older Los Angeles, now obscured by smog and traffic, will please Los Angeles historical buffs, as will the dusky production design and period-perfect costuming. Jolie works magnificently in period pieces, and Malkovich is always a joy to watch. Changeling is going to be good.

The Changeling releases on October 31, 2008.

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