Romance, witches, fantasy, supernatural – these are words one would typically associate with a banal, hokey teenage young adult series a la Twilight or last year’s adaptation of The Darkest Minds. These novels and films seemingly exist solely as a way for young adults to pass the time in an escapist fantasy, typically one where little thinking is required.
Yet, The Changeover, based on the novel by New Zealand author Margaret Mahy, and taking place within New Zealand as well, is actually quite mature, despite also comfortably existing within this same young adult sub-genre. There are witches and magic, and a somewhat shoehorned romance, but where the film juts off from these aspects, or even more, interweaves them into a far more complex narrative, is what makes it an effective watch.
Mature Themes
Laura “Lolly” Chant (Erana James) is a 16-year-old girl living in a small town in New Zealand along with her mother Kate (Melanie Lynskey) and brother Jacko (Benji Purchase). With a notably absent father, and a mother who works long hours, Laura takes care of her younger brother, in a way that often interferes with her social life.
One day, while walking through a run-down park, Laura and Jacko run into a solitary old man named Carmody Braque (Timothy Spall) who, though seemingly friendly at first, soon starts to express strange behavior, culminating in the placing of a stamp on the young Jacko’s hand. After this instance, Jacko falls deathly ill, and Laura must do what she can in order to save her brother’s life.
The initial distinguished aspect of The Changeover is just how unsettling it can be. This is no sanitized coming-of-age witch story, and, in fact, the supernatural aspects are often secondary to the plot itself. We know that something sinister is going on with the eerie Carmody and his attachment to Jacko, but it could just as well be that he’s a creepy old man that Laura must protect her brother from. This is helped all the more by Spall, who, even more so than his role as Peter Pettigrew in the Harry Potter series, is eerily effective as a villain. He wavers between charming and menacing so seamlessly that I, just like Laura in the film, was initially questioning whether or not he was just a misunderstand old man as opposed to the eventual creature that he reveals himself to be.
Such an aspect is true to life, though. We sometimes can’t outright tell who the villains are that we need to protect innocent children from, and that’s what so often leads to tragedy. Newcomer Erana James firmly holds this conviction through her portrayal, becoming a sympathetic figure despite her current predicament. Melanie Lynskey, as her mother, is another standout, aptly playing a concerned mother who is notably absent from her kids’ lives due to extenuating circumstances.
New Zealand setting
Much should also be mentioned about the New Zealand setting so prominent in The Changeover. As opposed to popular films set in New Zealand in the past (Lord of the Rings, for example), this is a film that feels more grounded in the reality of that society, and specifically, the small town communities within it.
Laura and her family are what you would consider working class, partly brought on by the absence of her father, which leads her mother to have to work long hours to make up for it. It’s this reality from which the film’s primary conflict is born, and a lot could be said for how differently single-family, low economic families live, and how they are often forced to deal with situations that other people take for granted. The Changeover shines a light on these communities, and on New Zealand culture in general, through its sympathetic approach.
Supernatural Aspects
As you might have guessed, though, there is also something sinister going on in The Changeover, and it’s related to the supernatural. From the start, Laura has what she calls a psychic sensitivity, being able to predict when something bad is going to happen. When her brother is ultimately afflicted, she seeks out Sorenssen Carlisle (Nicholas Galitzine), a self-proclaimed witch who also comes from a family of witches, including his mom Miryam (an unfortunately underused Lucy Lawless) and grandmother Winter (Kate Harcourt). Together, they help Laura “changeover,” which is the act of becoming a witch, in order for her to be able to save her brother.
It’s here that the film gets more in depth into the supernatural than previously, but it’s done in such a way by directors Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie, and by the visual effects department, that it doesn’t become overly cheeky or full of flashy images. Instead, each part of Laura’s journey, which often does become quite surreal, is yet another metaphorical step of her learning to mature as a person in order to subsequently look after and care for her vulnerable young brother. The changeover, as we soon discover, is Laura’s way of gaining back her power that had been taken from her by the sinister Carmody, and becoming a woman in the process. Such maturity and poignancy is rarely seen in a film of this caliber, and it’s why I appreciate The Changeover all the more.
Slight Shortcomings
Unfortunately, The Changeover is not flawless. In a way that did, alas, remind me of films such as the young adult series I mentioned above (Twilight, The Darkest Minds), the film leans too heavily on a romance. Coming seemingly out of nowhere, and not really adding much to the narrative as a whole, Laura soon takes a liking to Sorenssen, and their budding relationship becomes one of the film’s centerpieces.
It’s often a distraction, though, as the primary story between Carmody, Laura, and Jacko is far more engaging and interesting. This is especially so when these romantic scenes come during some of the film’s more devastating moments, and not in a way that leads you to believe that Laura is simply attempting to cover up her inner turmoil, but happening concurrently. Though I have not read the source material, I would guess that, in Margaret Mahy‘s more lengthy novel, the romantic subplot would likely fit more evenly within the story. As it is, though, it’s but a unfortunate misstep in a film that is mostly full of praiseworthy attributes.
Conclusion: The Changeover
To conclude, The Changeover is a definite standout when it comes to young adult films. It is a mature, eerie, and effective coming-of-age story that just so happens to also include the supernatural. Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie have struck upon something so human and relatable within their adaptation of the late Margaret Mahy‘s novel: that it is our care and sacrifices for our loved ones that can often define who we are.
What are some of your favorite young adult adaptations? tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
The Changeover will be released in the U.S. on February 22, 2019.
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.