To use an appropriate, automotive-intensive cliche, "Changing Lanes" has holes in its story that are so large you could drive a whole fleet of diesel trucks through them. This dramatic thriller is also rife with preposterous character turns and so full of convenient coincidences that it should inspire at least one outcry of "Oh, come on!"
And yet despite some serious script problems, the film works, which may have as much to do with the timeliness of the subject matter — the forgotten art of common courtesy — as the skill of the director and the efforts of a good cast.
As far as thrillers goes, "Changing Lanes" might not be particularly thrilling — except for perhaps a pair of highway driving scenes — but it's surprisingly provocative, and even thoughtful and contemplative. (It should also be noted that the film received an R rating for a handful of profanities, but it's probably the tamest R-rated film in theaters right now.)
"Changing Lanes" refers to not only an automotive mishap but also the internal struggles of two very different men — Wall Street attorney Gavin Banek (Ben Affleck) and Doyle Gipson (Samuel L. Jackson), a recovering alcoholic trying to reconcile with his estranged wife and children.
Both men are on their way to important meetings — Doyle is due in divorce court to state his case and Gavin is supposed to be in probate court for a case that could make or break his career. When their vehicles collide, with Doyle's car getting the worst of things, Gavin takes off, rather than staying to exchange information. This leaves Doyle high-and-dry, but Gavin has also left behind a file folder containing evidence that's crucial to his case.
As it turns out, that simple act becomes the catalyst in an escalating cat-and-mouse game between the two that may end up destroying them both.
Director Roger Michell ("Notting Hill," "Persuasion") may have seemed like an odd choice for the project, but his deliberate pacing makes some of film's bigger shocks quite effective. Also, this is surely Affleck's best big-screen performance in quite some time — though he's upstaged by Jackson's slow-burn performance as Doyle. (The supporting cast is also quite good, especially Toni Collette, playing Gavin's office mate, and Dylan Baker as the shadowy figure Gavin uses to destroy Doyle's credit.)
"Changing Lanes" is rated R for scattered use of strong, sexually related profanity and brief scenes of violence (vehicular and a beating). Running time: 99 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com