DVD : In The Valley Of Elah [2008]

Rating: - Whodunit and whytheydunit
This is an interesting film; a good solid whodunit combined with a bit of Americans-in-combat-angst. Usually such a mixture would result in a mess, but in this case they fit together wonderfully well. There are lots of good performances linked to two main ones from the female cop (Charlize Theron) and Tommy Lee Jones as the institutionalised ex-military policeman. If the film has a theme (other than just a damned good plot) it is to do with the lack of male communication. This is admirably communicated by Jones in his at times robotic performance. Is it grief at the death of his son or is a life of polishing shoes and creasing trousers just ingrained, the story does not feel the need to tell us; which is very much part of the theme? But Jones suggests both; such that an apology or compliment from him is a high feature in the character development. The film lacks easy villains (though it tempts you to believe in them before removing the rug from beneath your feet). There are a number of times where the story looks to be over most tidily only for it to kick off again. Most films cannot manage one good ending, this one manages several.

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Rating: - Super
I loved this film, in spite of its depressing, nihilistic story. Perhaps it's a story that needed telling, but what I loved was the acting, directing and dialogues. A number of scenes were like stand-alone set-pieces which you could just follow from beginning to end, and at the end breath "wow"! Tommy Lee Jones gave a master-class in restrained, emotional acting, Susan Sarandon had a smallish part but was totally believable in it, and Charlize Theron, an actress I knew little of, beautifully portrayed a character gradually emerging throughout the film. All the supporting cast were excellent and I just couldn't take my eyes off it from beginning to end. Another triumph for writer director Haggis.

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Rating: - War...whats it good for ? Absolutely nothing .
Anyone who has seen director Paul Haggis Oscar winning movie Crash [2004] [2005] ( a worthy but heavy handed drama on race relations for those that haven't seen it) would be forgiven for expecting more of the same from In The Valley Of Elah. However writer and director Haggis has delivered a far more subtle examination of war and it's effects on those who have to fight them. In this he is helped considerably by terrific performances from a stellar cast.
Retired army officer Hank Deerfield ( Tommy Lee Jones) receives a phone call to tell him that his son recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq has gone AWOL from his army base. Leaving his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon) behind this stoical man sets off in his pick up to see if he can shed any light on his sons disappearance. Has the lad just gone off with a woman for the weekend ? , has he actually done a bunk or is there something more sinister behind it?
When a dismembered and badly burnt corpse is discovered near the base a laborious and meticulous investigation begins with Hank eliciting the help of local law enforcement officer Det Emily Saunders ( Charlize Theron ) a single mother also struggling with the endemic sexism of her workplace and the jurisdictional politics of the case.
Here we have a film with an agenda but this gradually unfurls as Hank clinically discovers his sons fate. We see this through his eyes as he views mobile phone footage from Iraq and discovers that the system and life he has admired and followed all his adult life ( its pertinent that we see him still carry out his army rituals - creasing trousers, tucking in his bedding etc) is implicit in his sons fate. That in fighting a stupid war thousands of miles away America is f***king up a generation of young men .(several of the young men playing soldiers in the film had actually served in Iraq)
Many will find In The Valley Of Elah far too ponderous . The film like it's main character takes its time in getting where it is going . Neither is Hank the most engaging character but Tommy Lee Jones gives a superbly nuanced and reined in performance ,his craggy visage rarely betraying too much .Lee does his acting with his eyes and it is especially effective in the scenes where Hank discovers shocking truths or has to confront the consequences of his sons fate head on
Okay the symbolism is a little too heavy handed at times -and the David and Goliath metaphor left me a little puzzled -something about facing up to monsters? But the final conclusion that a nation cannot expect to send young men off to war to do and see horrible things and then accept them back into normal society with no recriminations is difficult to argue with , especially as this film is based on a true incident.

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Rating: - The effects of war
Hank Deerfield (played by Tommy Lee Jones) is a retired veteran and military police officer searching for his son who has gone AWOL. Detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) becomes interested in the case and starts helping Hank outside of her job. When Hank's son's body is found, the search suddenly turns into a search for the murderer.

Tommy Lee Jones gives one of his best performances as a relentless, humourless driven father, who has not been the best father, but doesn't rest until he finds the closure he desperately needs on the matter of the murder of his son.

Susan Sarandon was totally underused in the part of Hanks wife, but the little we are shown of her is riveting.

Charlize Theron plays down her beauty and gives what we've come to expect from her - a great performance.

But "In the Valley of Elah" isn't an action packed, fast paced search for a killer. Instead it's a deep and meaningful look at the effect that the war in Iraq is having on the soldiers it sends back home. In that regard it's not for everyone. Its not an easy film to watch, and perhaps it shouldn't be. Although it works as a mystery, the movie is much more a character drama. Paul Haggis has followed his Oscar winner "Crash" with another film similar in tone. Both are concerned with violence and humanity, but "Elah" does not use any of its characters as "Crash" seemed to.

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Rating: - "a real grown up movie"
There are plenty of reviews regarding this fabulous film so I'll keep it short. Proof that real grown up movies are still made in the west. Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron are superb. Buy it!!