In The Valley of Elah

Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 21, 2007

One of the season’s first Oscar buzz films, In The Valley of Elah does a good job at drawing an audience into its murder mystery plot. Then without warning, the director has one of those ‘ah hah’ moments, like you have just been tricked. This whole time, you may have not even known it, you have been watching a public service announcement.

Retired from the Armed Forces, Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones) is shocked to hear that his son has gone AWOL. With both of his sons having been enlisted in the military, it is a surprise to hear that his son would disobey direct orders and not return to base. Hank sets out to find his son, or at least some answers. He finds the Army making some accusations that just don’t fit. When he realizes that he can’t go at it alone, he employs the help of Detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron), and they both set out to find the truth.

The most frustrating part of a film like In The Valley of Elah, is the lack of purpose or identity. More so, it is probably the hidden purpose or agenda that it thrusts upon the audience at a somewhat inappropriate time. I almost want to grab Paul Haggis by the collar and shake him. I want to know why he didn’t just have the fortitude to make a statement from the opening credits. He pulls the audience through an entire film filled with mystery and suspense; only instead of providing a climax, the audience is presented with a very harsh statement about the current state of both the military and the country. Watching this film is like watching a bowler who is on the tenth frame of a perfect game, and throws a grenade to knock down the last 10 pins. Overwhelming is an understatement. The film could have been less deceiving if it took one of its working titles, Death and Dishonor.

The film is highlighted by a great performance. Tommy Lee Jones gives us his best performance ever. Even better than his Oscar winning performance in The Fugitive. If I can take away any positives from this film, it would be that Jones took the source material and used it to the best of his ability. His range of ability and emotion throughout the film was put on display, and is sure to grab some attention during awards season. Charlize Theron returns to a darker and more mature subject matter, challenging herself once again as an actress. Sorry, but it is hard to forget †on Flux.

So what is wrong with In The Valley of Elah? Not alot, except for the hidden agenda that is force-fed at the end of the film. This could have been a good film, but instead comes up short and left me confused, with some mixed emotions. The film is worth seeing, but tries too hard to change its path down a road you might not want to travel.

The Upside: Tommy Lee Jones gives the performance of his career.

The Downside: I may not agree with the war in Iraq, but I don’t plaster the site with my political beliefs.

On the Side: Takes its title from the bible — Elah was the valley where David met Goliath.

Read more articles by Brian C. Gibson