In the Valley of Elah (2007)

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Surprisingly thoughtful treatment that highlights the destruction of those who are being continually brutalized - at the expense of an essentially un-ending war the USA is determined to run to its end - for better or worse. This productions studied approach lifts it above some others that have attempted to encourage us to take a far closer look at this war and the hideous dehumanization it brings - not just to the war zone, but equally and frighteningly to the home front!The combination of screenplay writer/director Paul Haggis, story writer Mark Boal and British born director of Photography (the hugely talented Roger Deakin's) along with a sterling cast of superb professionals, compel us to keep looking, thinking, asking questions and, considering all the motivational causes that lead to this gut wrenching, based on shocking facts situation. The war machine and all who ultimately play along with war games are deservedly brought to question and, we all have a good idea who they are...Gruelling but in a quiet and thoughtful manner (with unfortunately the now expected but not always necessary, over-use of explicative's) this drama is more purposeful than many others and recommended for the thinking viewer. Important points are solidly scored by the scenes of girls dancing around poles in sleazy clubs - offering a stark contrast to the way the flag on the pole is used in the finale, as it silently screams about the pathways to moral degradation trodden by modern warfare and society.

In the Valley of Elah is a poignant film that deadpans its way to impact you. The cast list shows many people in the film, but in reality, this is a duet with Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron, with some cameos by Jason Patric as the military agent, and Susan Sarandon as the mother. TL Jones is ex military all the way, and he EXUDEs ex-military in his demeanor, his talk, and his habits. He was also an MP, so he knows how to go about an investigation. His youngest son Mike was in the middle east and has returned home. Suddenly they receive a call that Mike is AWOL if he does not show up by the end of the weekend.Jones drives all night to the town where Mike's base is, and starts a search. He figures Mike is letting off some steam. What happens next shakes him, and his relationship with is wife, to its core. Jones maintains his military demeanor, while inside he's being ripped apart.This is a tour de force performance from Tommy Lee Jones, for which he received a nomination for an Academy award as best actor, along with a slew of other nominations. You can tell he loves his son deeply, but that he understands the stresses of the military. His emotions show that yep, perhaps he did stuff his son did. And sadly, maybe he even went down other paths that he just won't talk about to anyone. This film is a monument to the often silent love and respect between a father and a son, no matter what happens. It was fantastic to see this played out with such depth and economy of acting. Equally excellent was Charlize Theron. For once she was not pimped out to exude her womanhood. In fact, she was made to look like a regular person, which allowed her acting skills to pour out because she wasn't trying to look cool or act cool. She was just trying to act the part. She played the police officer who has no respect from her fellow male officers who constantly taunt or joke on her. Until she shows them how smart she really is. And later shows them how far ahead of them she read tragic events that they laughed at her for. As a single mother, she's reliving almost the young Mike of TL Jones, and learning about the bond between a mother and her son, and how that too is important. The father being gone it seems.In the Valley of Elah is not quick paced. There's not a lot the happens. The story is even pretty simple. But the acting, wow, it's terrific. Susan Sarandon as the mother hits all the right notes too. I won't rate this a must-see, but it's pretty darn good if you want a film that examines the complicated combination of the military mixed with a father/son relationship that gets strained, but never broken, and eventually, albeit sadly, uplifted. Enjoy.

The problems facing our Military Men in Iraq and Afghanistan when they finally come Home are somewhat different than the Vietnam Vets. This is exemplified in the Film by the Father (a Vietnam Vet) and a super Patriot who is obviously not a Happy Man. His inner Demons manifest in a depression that is painfully internal and is displayed by a cold, detached, withdrawn, and steely demeanor. But, He is more functional than dysfunctional.That cannot be said about the Iraq Vets in this Movie. They are anything but and are almost Automatons void of empathy or emotion, Personality less like something out of a Video Game. It takes only the push of a button to engage the rage and the consequences are not pretty for anyone in range.This is played out here in a "based on true events" Murder Mystery and it takes the Viewer along accompanied by a downbeat. It is a perplexing and ultimately depressing denouement and its Anti-War, Pro-People message is anything but subtle. There are some things, like the Video Footage that is as damaged as the Soldier behind the Camera, that are handled with a heavy hand, red herrings that seem out of step, and in the end the message becomes muted from a Filmmaker who seems uncomfortable with the material. Ditto the Audience.

From director Paul Haggis (Crash), I knew the leading actor of this film, but I did not remember any of the other good names of the cast, or that the lead actor was nominated an Academy Award (the only big award for the film), and I was definitely looking forward to watching and finding out if this was deserved. Basically Monroe, Tennessee ageing war veteran Hank Deerfield (Oscar nominated Tommy Lee Jones) is told by the military that his son Mike (Jonathan Tucker) has recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, but he has gone AWOL and disappeared, so Hank starts a search for him. He keeps his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon) updated with phone calls telling her what he finds, and he gets aid in the investigation and personal involvement in the case from police detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron). Hank himself is retired from the military, he used to be an investigator, so he knows how they work, and he is becoming frustrated and concerned that both the military and the police do not seem to take interest in the case for his missing son. They do manage to find Mike, but he has been murdered, and his body has been mutilated and burned, so it cannot be identified physically, but they conclude the identity from possessions, but the military are suggesting that he was killed in drug related violence, and they try to stop the police investigating the death. Hank, obviously distraught, is still determined to find out the truth about the death of Mike, beginning with his platoon fellow soldiers who are all lying to the him and the authorities about what the young man was doing with them on the last night they were with him, but Deerfield does not believe they are the murderers. In the end, after all the conclusions about what they were doing on the last night Mike was alive, it turns out the soldiers with him did murder and dismember his body after some kind of argument, one in particular admits to suffering strong post-traumatic stress disorder from events of the war, and it was all a cover-up, so the right people are arrested, and Hank can at least settle because justice has been done. Also starring James Franco as Sgt. Dan Carnelli, Titanic's Frances Fisher as Evie, Speed 2: Cruise Control's Jason Patric as Lt. Kirklander, Men in Black 3's Josh Brolin as Chief Buchwald, Wes Chatham as Corporal Steve Penning, Barry Corbin as Arnold Bickman and Jake McLaughlin as Spc. Gordon Bonner. Jones gives a terrific gritty performance that we have seen many times from him before, but obviously with a more personal mission, Theron (who does not wear makeup or attempt to look gorgeous) does really well as the small town cop eventually determined to get to the bottom of the investigation into a suspicious military death, and the supporting cast members all ass their good moments as well, the story has the smallest political and difficult to understand bits, but all in all it is a well-paced traditional detective style plot, with some disturbing and prolific scenes to keep you watching, a compelling crime drama. Very good!