An attorney (Ben Affleck) in a rush to make a court appointment to file legal papers involving a multi-million dollar trust accidentally collides with an alcoholic insurance salesman (Samuel Jackson), who also is a rush for a court appointment involving the custody of his children. The attorney leaves the scene of the accident and strands the salesman, causing him to miss his custody hearing. During the process of the post-crash discussion, the attorney accidentally drops the papers he needs to present in court. The judge gives him until the end of the day to present the papers and thus begins a cat and mouse game between the proponents. A few questionable actions later on both parties' part, they finally start questioning their actions and their lives. In the end, both come to new understanding of what is
important and appear to be set in new ethical and moral directions.
Now for The Zone's Eye View
By Laura Alber
In "Changing Lanes", Ben Affleck reprises his role from "Boiler Room" and "Bounce" as the ruthless and shrewd businessman. He foregoes all ethical responsibilities to make money and gain power. Samuel L. Jackson portrays the "other side of the track" and is a recovering alcoholic, a father of two on the verge of a possible divorce and losing his children for good. One fateful day changes both of these men's lives in ways they never believed could happen. Director Roger Michell does a wonderful job of bringing two people together that would never meet under normal circumstances and shows us just what is capable of people under extreme pressures.
Both actors are extremely convincing in their roles, and the direction is very good, but a little frustrating at times. Michell brings you right to the edge of a situation, nearly to the point of white knuckling the armrests, and then pulls back. Still, Changing Lanes keeps you entertained throughout the film. With both characters under very different pressures for the day, they become sworn enemies over one minor incident, a fender bender on the FDR Drive. Doyle Gipson (Jackson) must play everything by the book after Gavin Banek (Affleck) rear ends him on the highway by trying to get all the insurance information. Banek in a rush to get to court to maintain the power of attorney of a multi-million dollar estate, he unethically tries to give Gipson a blank check for the damages and races off. Gipson is in just as much of a
hurry to court to fight for custody of his two children and to try to keep his estranged wife in town. He has even gotten a loan approved to buy a house to sway her to stay. Doyle is left on the highway to fend for himself to get to court on time. He unfortunately is twenty minutes late, and has missed the entire hearing. With his absence, the court granted sole custody to his wife who is planning on moving to Oregon with the children.
What Banek realizes very soon is that he absent-mindedly left a folder containing the one document that could win the case for him with Doyle Gipson. A mistake he made before leaving him on the side of the road. The court has given Banek until the end of the workday to come up with the missing file. Once Gipson realizes the importance of the folder he now possesses, this is when the fun begins. All Gipson can do after losing his custody battle while sitting in a bar deciding whether or not to take a drink, is remember Banek's last words to him, "Better luck next time". Gavin Banek finds Doyle walking down the sidewalk and tries to appease him with apologies for the accident. All Doyle wants to do is strangle the man that cost him 20 minutes.
Back and forth they go, trying to "convince" the other to give in; Banek wants his file back and Gipson needs his credit turned back on since Banek had someone enter into his credit that he was bankrupt. Gipson is still in hopes that he can persuade his wife to stay if he can buy her a house. The illegal and unethical things they do to each other are cringing to think about, considering these things are actually possible to do and actually get away with. Banek is under the gun with his law firm, owned by his stepfather to falsify another document if this one can't be found, and Gipson is struggling with the notion that he could possibly never see his boys again and trying not to take a drink. He is helped by his sponsor (a cameo role played by William Hurt), but even Hurt gets fed up with the dangerous games he's
playing. He tells him it's not even really alcohol Doyle is addicted to, but rather "chaos", and walks off.
The characterizations are done very well, even for the smallest roles. Amanda Peet plays Banek's wife and sides with her father on defrauding the lost document. Toni Collette plays Michelle, a fellow attorney whom Banek has had an affair with, and is quite the opposite of the stereotypical attorney. Banek's stepfather Andrew Delano (Sydney Pollack) is the perfect egomaniacal megalomaniac attorney that anyone would be intimidated by. Doyle's wife Valerie (Kim Staunton) is extremely convincing as the wife who's fed up with the irresponsible actions of her husband.
"Changing Lanes" was a very entertaining film, if not for the cast alone. But, not to worry, the way these two seek revenge on the other is worth the watch. I was a little disappointed with the ending they chose, but I guess you can't have everything in a film these days. I would still highly recommend the rental. The Zone rates "Changing Lanes" a 6 out of 10 for pure adrenalin rushes, and a wonderful cast. Luckily, the two leading characters are able to keep the movie interesting even when the director unfortunately pulls us back from intense scenes.
