4th February 2008
In the Valley of Elah (USA)
Director - Paul Haggis
Cast - Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jason Patric...

* * * * *

In the Valley of Elah is a curiosity. The marketing, with its trailer on a seemingly constant repetition over the past couple of months, seemed to suggest a formulaic and overblown drama. An awards hungry movie directed by an Oscar winner and starring three fellow Oscar Winners. Such misconceptions were blown away when watching Paul Haggis’ superbly scripted film.

In the Valley of Elah is certainly not a flag waving slice of Americana. Rather it is an angry and painful account of one family’s loss. A personal insight into a tragedy, that allows for a deeper political meaning to seep through. It is a film that masquerade’s as a simple who-dun-it, but which is really about the destruction of a generation and one mans (a country’s) folly. It is certainly not a perfect film, some of the generic elements are a little tired, Charlize Theron performs admirably in what is an archetypal role. Yet it is honest, passionate and executed with surprising subtlety.

Tommy Lee Jones is outstanding and produces a performance worthy of the praise he has been receiving of late. Although he says very little, his face is so expressive. As the narrative progresses, you witness a gradual realisation fade across his weathered complexion. It is heartbreaking to watch. There is a particularly evocative moment when Lee Jones falsely begins a verbal attack on a Mexican born soldier. The soldier responds with a cutting question; “Wouldn’t it be funny if the devil looked like you?” Lee Jones spends the entire picture trying to pin down all those responsible for his son’s demise, yet ends up realising he could have easily found one such culprit, just by looking in the mirror.