Wednesday, August 5, 2015

In the Valley of Elah 2007


In the Valley of Elah     Hank Deerfield and his wife Joan live in Monroe, Tennessee.  Hank was in the Army, he served in Vietnam and he hasn’t lost his military service ways.  His older son was killed in a military helicopter crash and his younger son has returned from Iraq to Fort Rudd, New Mexico.  Hank has not talked recently to Mike and he starts to worry.  He drives two days to get to the base and talk to the Army.  There is a conflict between the local police force and the military over jurisdiction.  Mike is definitely AWOL from his squad and Hank starts to work with new homicide detective Emily Sanders.  Hank wants answers and he doesn’t want to wait around for them!!
     Tommy Lee Jones is good in this film and the story revolves around him and his search.  Charlize Theron is into her character by wearing a blazer, white shirt, slacks and she has dark hair pulled back.  The detectives working with Charlize have no respect at all for her and they mock her every chance they get.  Susan Sarandon stays in the background as Mike’s mother.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

121 min, Crime directed by Paul Haggis with Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jonathan Tucker, Jason Patric, Susan Sarandon, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Wes Chatham, Jake McLaughlin, Mehcad Brooks, Jonathan Tucker, Wayne Duvall, Roman Arabia, Brent Briscoe.

Note:  Imdb 7.2 out of 10, 73% critic 77% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*.
Special Note:  The director Paul Haggis also directed Crash, he wrote Million Dollar Baby (both films won Oscars) and he co-wrote Letters from Iwo Jima.  The title of this film comes from the name of the valley where David fought Goliath.  







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