In the Valley of Elah
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Movie Reviews of In the Valley of Elah
Movie Review: An excellent, moving film
Summary: 5 Stars
Unfortunately, a great deal of the reviews on here are obvious examples of partisan views. I'm not going to try to tell you that I don't swing one way or the other in the political spectrum, but this film will your views regardless of your party affiliation. If you're a supporter of the war, you will be forced to reconsider the reasoning for it. However, the documentary in the special features section will raise guilt in those who have not supported the war. Soldiers returned from Iraq speak about how they expected to return to a society that understood the trauma that they had undergone. When in reality, very little has changed.
The overall message of the film is extremely powerful. For those interested in the cinematography, it
was as strong as nearly any film I've seen.
While your political views may not be in line with those that come across on the surface of this film, I urge you to give it a shot. Renting is always a good way to see if you like it before considering purchasing it.
Movie Review: Support our troops, ALL of them.
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a truly exceptional film, I didn't think I could like Tommy Lee Jones any more than I already do but he is really outstanding in this movie. I have to agree with the person who said it's depressing, it is. My heart ached after watching this and I didn't think I'd ever want to watch it again but I can't stop thinking about it.
I take exception to those who say it's nothing more than an anti-war, Bush-bashing, movie. Paul Haggis was inspired to write the screenplay after reading an article in Playboy ("Death and Dishonor" by Mark Boal, 2004) about Army Specialist Richard Davis, an Iraq war veteran who was murdered shortly after his return from Iraq. Richard Davis's father Lanny is also a former military police officer like the character Tommy Lee Jones plays, he too mounted his own investigation into his son's murder as did Tommy Lee Jones' character.
The case of Richard Davis' murder was also featured on CBS' 48 Hours and author Cilla McCain has written a book about it entitled, "Murder in Baker Company: The Forgotten Soldier" (Ms. McCain's own review can be found here: [...]
During the Vietnam War they sold POW bracelets that had engraved on them the name of a missing soldier, his rank and the date he went missing. Along with the bracelets came stickers for you to stick on the bracelet after the status of the missing soldier was discovered. Sadly the soldier on my bracelet was MIA until long after my bracelet broke, but I will never forget his name: Sgt. Harold Reid. I researched a few years ago and found out they had finally recovered his body and brought it home for burial near his family in Utah.
Isn't it unfortunate that for all the "Support Our Troops" yellow ribbons and magnets I see on cars everywhere, so little is done for them once they return home, they're essentially forgotten. Why aren't we equally supportive of those who have returned so changed from a needless, senseless war? Why would they need us to remember them and how they've selflessly given of themselves to serve our country? After all, they're "done", right?
Movie Review: Do You Know What An Upside Down Flag Means?
Summary: 5 Stars
Trying to rationalize IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH will challenge your views. Many of them. And this is the signature of good cinema. We all know that war changes people. Men go to foreign lands, are ordered to do horrendous things in the name of "god and country", and then are supposed to return home to a normal, happy, healthy life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Director Paul Haggis (Crash) once again shows us a complex issue with morality taking a tailspin.
Based on a true story, In the Valley of Elah is a chilling and disturbing tale of how some young men are affected by the war in Iraq. Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men) is awakened one morning by a disturbing phone call. His son has gone missing ...but not in Iraq. He's back home at his army base but hasn't been seen in days. Hank -- a retired army man himself -- kisses his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon, Enchanted) goodbye and heads out to find him. And what he discovers is numbing and completely irrational.
The mood is set immediately when Hank leaves home and finds an American flag flying upside down; the international distress symbol for soldiers in trouble. Why and who did this is never known, but the message is clear: our boys in uniform need help.
When Hank's son's body is found mutilated, Hank turns up his private investigation skills with the help of Detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron, North Country). Learning a great deal from each other, the two form a tenuous friendship based on the discovery of the truth about the murder. And the truth will flabbergast many viewers ...but in a thought-provoking way.
The cast of this film is simply phenomenal. Tommy Lee holds the production to a very high standard, and watching him trying not to burst into tears is probably one of the more powerful moments in the film. Also, I didn't realize that Det. Sanders was Charlize Theron. Minimal make-up and a tight hairdo (as well as some great acting) made me just see her character. A special note also MUST be made for one scene in particular. And this scene involved Susan Sarandon as Joan, the wife of Hank and mother of the murdered soldier. This scene was so powerful that it made me hold my breath. It is when she demands to see the remains of her son but can only view them through a glass pane that looks into the morgue ("Is that all? It looks so cold in there. Can I go in?") Gut-wrenching!
I applaud director Paul Haggis for making us look at the faults that surround us. Similar to Crash, this film holds nothing back and forces us to peer into those places we dare not look. But we must, if only to see who's slinging the rock, and who's the giant that'll fall.
Movie Review: Great contemporary movie with a stellar cast
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great contemporary movie based on a true life story. Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron are great as always. The story illustrates what happens to many of our soldiers after returning from Iraq. A must see. Movie Review: Nicely paced and intelligent
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a nicely paced, intelligent and well acted movie that gives the three principal A listed actors, Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Susana Sarandon ample opportunity to display their remarkable skills. Susan Sarandon, as always, plays a strong supporting role as Tommy's distressed wife. Tommy Lee, in particular, is outstanding in this. His trademark masculinity is perfectly suited to this portrayal of a former soldier in search of his son, suspected at first of being AWOL after a tour of duty in Iraq. Tommy gets to discover the whole truth with the assistance of Charlize's character, a jaded female cop, a good woman struggling with a cuture of apathy and male chauvanism. She makes a few bad calls earlier that dramatically come back to haunt her later on. Her relationship with Tommy is tense at first, but she eventually sees the light and joins with him in his battle to find the truth, notwithstanding resistance from colleagues and the military police who seem intent on a cover up. This is not a cops and robbers type story. It is primarily about the dehumanising consequences of miltarism for the young men who serve. The director isn't forcing his ideas on the viewer, but allowing the story to unfold naturally. There is a particularly poignant piece of symbolism involving the stars and stripes. Earlier in the film, Tommy sees a fellow trying to raise Old Glory upside down after allowing it to dangle on the ground. He gently explains the proper protocol involved in respectfully honouring this proud symbol of the American nation. Towards the very end of the movie, however, and after discovering the truth about his son's dreadful murder, the flag raising is repeated. This time Tommy hangs it upside down as he explain the symbolic meaning of doing so: "It means," he says, "we are in serious trouble and all hope is lost" - or words to that effect. A very special film with similar cadences to Wim Wender's little masterpiece, "Land of Plenty".