Cinematic art

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Charlize Theron and Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley

of Elah"

In the Valley of Elah

Rated R for for violent and disturbing content, language and some sexuality/nudity. 2 hours, 1 minute. Publication date: Sep. 21, 2007 Review by Susan Tavernetti Released: (2007)

VIEW TRAILER

Writer-director Paul Haggis has crafted a film of austere power. The deceptively simple story of a parent's grief over the death of a son and his need to discover what happened slowly builds into a penetrating inquiry about the casualties of war. Whereas Haggis' "Crash" smashed into controversial issues with a metal-to-metal crunch, his second feature whispers.

Haggis' script and restrained performances by the cast put the viewer on common ground with the subject matter. Tommy Lee Jones plays Hank Deerfield like an Everyman who quietly wears the aches of a lifetime in the bags beneath his eyes and the slow hitch of his walk. A phone call informs him that son Mike (Jonathan Tucker), who just returned stateside after a tour in Iraq, has gone AWOL. With hardly a word to his wife (Susan Sarandon), the former military MP climbs into his truck and drives from Tennessee to Fort Rudd in New Mexico. He knows the drill. Hank quietly questions Mike's military buddies and pockets his son's camera phone, gathering the clues that will allow him to unravel the truth behind a grisly find: his son's charred, dismembered body found scattered in the brush near the base.

The murder mystery propels the plot, revealing macho posturing between the Army investigators (Jason Patric, James Franco) and the local cops (Josh Brolin) for jurisdiction of a case that both groups would rather bury. Hank coaxes Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron), a police detective routinely belittled and harassed by the men on the force, to help him.

At the same time, Haggis' smart script discloses Hank's backstory as a Vietnam War vet who established the warrior ethos at home, conditioning his two sons with those values. Snippets of recovered footage from Mike's phone provide harrowing glimpses into the chaos of the Iraq war, and Hank slowly faces disturbing truths. Walking a razor-wire fence, Haggis honors Americans serving their country while lacerating the military mindset that got them there -- and caused such hell.

Roger Deakins' austere cinematography isolates the grieving father in endless halls and barren landscapes, emphasizing his lonely journey. But the iconic American flag, turned upside down as "a sign of a nation in distress," presents the most haunting image.

The story of David battling Goliath, related in both the Bible and the Koran, gives the film its title and symbolic layering. Hank captivates the young son of Detective Sanders with a bedtime tale about how to fight monsters: "Lure them in close, stare and smack 'em down." Training young men for battle starts at an early age, in unwitting ways.

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In the Valley of Elah | Movies | Palo Alto Online | https://www.paloaltoonline.com/movies/reviews/In-the-Valley-of-El...

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Names the director, alludes to his/her other work, if pertinent, suggests by word choice or tone if you recommend the film, and introduces thematic issues.

Names the screenwriter and provides a brief plot synopsis (with actors). No spoilers!

Develops the analysis of theme.

Addresses other important elements such as cinematography and symbolism. Names important collaborators.

Places the film in a larger context.

Identifies the genre (often done in first paragraph) and deals with gender issues.

Such touches make "In the Valley of Elah" a smooth stone of a movie that will slay you at the end.

In the Valley of Elah | Movies | Palo Alto Online | https://www.paloaltoonline.com/movies/reviews/In-the-Valley-of-El...

2 of 3 11/12/17, 3:01 PM

Reiterate if you recommend the film or not. Use language throughout the review to indicate whether you like or dislike it and why.

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In the Valley of Elah | Movies | Palo Alto Online | https://www.paloaltoonline.com/movies/reviews/In-the-Valley-of-El...

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