Directed by: Roger Michell
Starring: Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, Sydney Pollack, Toni Collette, Kim Staunton, Amanda Peet, William Hurt
Both Gavin Banek (Affleck) and Doyle Gipson (Jackson) had their issues long before they have an accident on the FDR one rainy Friday morning. But, thanks to the outcome of the accident, both men now have the chance to turn their inward anger outward towards the other. It isn't a pretty sight, but it is illuminating to see these men actually learn something about themselves in the midst of such ugliness. I recalled the trailers and posters marketing this film as something of a revenge drama, but Changing Lanes is much more than that. It is more about how these men assess themselves after a watershed moment for both. They realize they haven't been living their lives as they should, and then find the courage to change.
Gavin is a partner at his father-in-law's (Pollack) law firm. Pollack, besides being a great director, was always an intriguing actor. He usually played outwardly nice people who concealed an inner sleaziness and ruthlessness which belied the exterior. It was always a joy to seem him act as much as direct. He is the same here. He wants Gavin to deliver a file to a judge which will allow a sickly client to turn over control of a $3 million fund to the firm. Of course, the client's signature was obtained under nefarious means, but for Pollack and Gavin, that keeps the coffers full. When his car crashes into Doyle's, he is on the way to the court.
Doyle is a recovering alcoholic whose wife and sons are about to move to Oregon. Doyle wants to buy a home and save his family, and he was on his way to court to try and keep custody of his sons. Because Gavin chooses to be a prick and leaves Doyle at the accident site, Doyle misses his court appearance and loses custody of his sons. However, Gavin soon learns he left the file accidentally at the accident site and now Doyle has it. It is suffice to say Doyle is not in the mood to be charitable with Gavin and give him the file back.
This begins an escalating battle between the two angry men, and the gloves come off quickly. Gavin tries to reason with Doyle and even write a blank check to cover his vehicle damage, but Doyle says, "What you can't pay me for is my time. Can you give me back twenty minutes?" Twenty minutes is how late Doyle was to his court appearance which cost him the custody. Gavin learns Doyle wants to buy the house and then uses a computer whiz associate to mess up Doyle's credit and cost him the house. Things get nastier from there. The day puts each man's limits to the test. Doyle stops at a bar and has the bartender pour him a shot, but he stares at the glass without drinking it. But as Doyle's sponsor and wife point out, his drug of choice isn't necessarily alcohol, but chaos.
Gavin realizes his own moral limits, even after a pep talk from his rich wife (Peet), who more or less gives him permission to bend the law if it keeps her in the lifestyle she's accustomed to. He finds there are boundaries he won't go beyond, and even experiences regret after having Doyle jailed on phony charges. You would think there comes a point in which someone will whip out a gun and shoot someone, but Changing Lanes is more intelligent and perceptive than that. It isn't interested in the what as much as the why when it comes to these characters. The ending may be somewhat too tidy and feel good considering the harshness that preceded it, but maybe these guys finally do deserve a break after all.
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