Note: Lots and lots of spoilers!

I’m sitting, waiting to watch “Changing Lanes,” and I’m thinking… Gee, I think I’d rather see a film about a guy who takes puppies into a field and kills them than this movie. I mean, I’m no fan of Ben Affleck. And the preview for this film… Well, it looks pretty obvious and stupid. Samuel L. Jackson is the downtrodden black man (emphasis on black), Affleck is the rich, Beamer-driving lawyer. They get into a scuffle on the road and it turns into full blown revenge. Big whoop. Jackson, it’s obvious from the trialer, has some sort of familial problems. I can see where this is going: Affleck, after much tussling with Jackson, is going to save the day by using his lawyering skills to help Jackson and all’s well that ends well. I was not looking forward to this, really.

But the opening credits of “Changing Lanes” made me perk up a bit. There in the scriptwriters credits is the name Michael Tolkin. The same Michael Tolkin who wrote “The Player.” The same Michael Tolkin who wrote and directed the amazing Mimi Rogers film, “The Rapture.” Wow. He wrote this?

“Changing Lanes,” it turns out, is a pretty decent film. It’s no masterpiece, but I certainly enjoyed it. It’s a film that is really about an idea. It uses a story to reinforce the notion of this idea. The idea here is simple: Everyday humankind makes a pact with one and other to be kind, considerate, and to conduct themselves properly. When this code of conduct is not followed, everything turns to shit. Chaos and anarchy ensue. The basic archetype of this pact, it seems, is The Constitution. It’s no accident that Affleck’s character is a lawyer.

It’s no accident either that Jackson’s character is a recovering alcoholic. Not only does this serve to illustrate what might have been wrong with his marriage, but it offers up an idea that we don’t see very often: A failed hero. Jackson’s character may be able to stay sober but when all is said and done, that is not enough. He must have character. He must be humane. William Hurt, who plays Jackson’s AA sponsor here, has a great moment where he tells Jackson’s character that his drug of choice isn’t alcohol but chaos! I would have liked it if he had used the term “resentment” or “bitterness” better, but you get the point.

It’s a testament to Jackson’s acting ability that the character rises up above his rather predictable traits. Jackson starts here as the archetype angry black man who plays “victim” and has a huge chip on his shoulder. But Jackson only uses this as a springboard and continues in his efforts to make the character not only someone who would do all the things he does in this film, but also make us feel sorry for him, even though we see he is his own worst enemy. Jackson makes this character’s arc a thing of beauty to behold.

Affleck, likewise, is very good here. As a man struggling between his idealism and his own perverted work ethic, Affleck brings forth a character with many flaws as well. Yet, again, we like this guy and want to see him work out his problems. It may be Tolkin and co-writer Chap Taylor’s script that help Affleck be so good, but Ben himself carries the character and makes us empathize with him, even though he is a spoiled, rich, white guy. Affleck has a great scene with Kevin Sussman , where the younger actor gets to deliver a great speech about the beauty of the Constitution. Affleck’s response is perfect and perfectly delivered.

Director Roger Michell (“Notting Hill”) may use “NYPD Blue” style shaky-hand-held shots here, especially in the cutaways. But he’s just trying to keep the action taunt and edgy. The most amazing thing about the look of the film really is the use of modern art as backdrops. The pieces used in the law firm set are simply cool and gorgeous. The accent the film, giving it a linear feel and a controlled composition that reminds us of just how easy it is for things to go out of control. (As a side note, the art and artists here are credited, just like the songs).

“Changing Lanes” may not be a masterpiece. There may be moments that don’t work (Affleck’s soliloquy about a girl on a beach towards the film’s end is a real head-scratcher). There may even be moments that are contrived and poorly-scripted. But the theme of the movie, the idea, of how we could all easily turn into cavemen, how man’s basic nature often supersedes his civilized façade, how this so easily evolves into chaos and anger, is really interesting. The script, when you feel Tolkin’s handiwork at play, really works to solidify this idea. Surprisingly, this is a film worth seeing.

Report Card Script: B- Acting: B+ Cinematography\Lighting: B- Special Effects\Make Up: B- Music: C- Final Grade: B-

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