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Changes

Name: Changes
Director: Hall Bartlett
Released: 1969
Duration: 93 min

Representation Score

5.5/10

Fair

1969

Director

Hall Bartlett

Runtime

93 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Changes stands out as a progressive exploration of identity through the lens of physical trauma. While it remains limited by the social norms of 1969 regarding race and sexuality, it offers a profound deconstruction of mid-century values. The film's greatest strength lies in its refusal to treat disability as a mere plot device. Instead, it uses the protagonist's loss of autonomy to challenge the era's obsession with productivity and professional utility. Ultimately, the film succeeds by shifting the focus from external social hierarchies to the internal struggle for meaning, providing a nuanced look at how physical limitations reshape one's place in the world.

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Category Breakdown

Does Changes have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include explicit LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. Romantic relationships are confined to the conventional heterosexual relationships typical of the late 1960s.

How does Changes portray gender?

Fair

The film disrupts traditional masculine roles by redistributing domestic and emotional responsibilities, challenging the idea of men as dominant providers.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Changes?

Limited

The cast appears predominantly homogeneous. The film focuses on the protagonist's internal psychological journey rather than using diverse casting to challenge societal norms.

How does Changes represent religion and culture?

Good

The story critiques Western capitalist materialism by separating a person's value from their economic output. It emphasizes human connections over professional status and physical utility.

Does Changes include disability representation?

Excellent

This film provides a significant portrayal where the protagonist's disability is not used as a source of pity. It explores the systemic challenges of navigating a world designed for able-bodied individuals.

Present on Screen

Provides a sophisticated and empowering portrayal of paraplegia.
Challenges rigid masculine archetypes and traditional gendered power dynamics.
Offers a meaningful critique of capitalist structures and human worth.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and non-heterosexual narratives.
Features a predominantly homogeneous cast with minimal racial diversity.
Adheres to the conventional social frameworks of the late 1960s.

Official Synopsis

It's the late sixties, a time of peace signs, free love and revolution; and Kent like others of his generation, is looking for a meaning to his life. Driving alone along the Big Sur, he flashes back to difficult memories about college, drugs, family and relationships. The flashback over, Kent is back in his car, but he loses control and crashes over an embankment. Stunned and hurt, Kent starts hitchhiking, not caring which direction. He wanders aimlessly, taking rides from strangers, never making real contact. Then he meets Julie who intrigues him and they move in together. Kent still has to find himself and the meaning of his existence.

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