Stream it now In the Valley of Elah 2007

 

I see a lot of anger about how this movie makes all soldiers to be robots and that is unfair and blah blah. I liked this movie because it had elements of everything. I know for a fact not everyone in the military does things like that and I have enough common sense to not think that way. It was showing an unfortunate cause for some when they do join. Some people have more violent and sociopathic tendencies. I support our troops fully and have talked to numerous soldiers in Iraq. It is a movie, remember that. I thought the story was tragic and traumatic which is similar to stories that occur during times of war. If the director's goal was to get everyone to hate the Iraq war or all the soldiers, they did not accomplish their goal. It was just well done.

In the modern day's story of David vs. Goliath; one question asked by this movie, whose side do we believed we are on? David's or Goliath's?

Having seen 2 of Haggis's movies until now (2006's Crash), I clearly favor this one. The cast plays so intensively, letting you grasp every emotion they show. Especially Tommy Lee Jones shows again that he is in fact one of the finest actors of his generation (actually I believe he belongs to the last great generation of actors, the younger generations just can't beat them), his acting is extremely sensitive and emotional, it sometimes seems he feels like he really IS the father of that traumatized U.S. Soldier who lets him question every value of the army he so thoroughly believes in at a first glance. Charlize Theron also delivers a great acting job as police detective. Though sometimes certain aspects of the soldiers' motives are unclear to me, this maybe shows that we, who don't fight in an ocean of desert dust, can't imagine what those men and women go through, especially in a war that should never have been started.

Are you kidding me??? You can tell that whoever wrote this has absolutely no clue about our men and women in the armed services, and is totally against every aspect of the Iraq war. As a former Marine, this propoganda makes me want to puke. Why show such disrespect for the men and women serving in our military? My brother served 12 months in Iraq, my bunk mate when I was in the USMC served numerous times in Iraq as an Army Warrant Officer, my former boss when I was serving in Okinawa spent years in Iraq, and I consider him my best friend. I would have willingly served in Iraq if I was still active. There are others I have a very close relationship with who have served there, and absolutely none of them have becomed mind-numbed robots who gleefully stick their hands in people's guts in attempt to cause agonizing pain for a good laugh, or have absolutely no problems killing their friend over an arguement. In fact, there is nobody on this planet who I respect and trust more. This is unbelievable. I will steer clear of watching any motion picture put out by anybody responsible for this crap.

A good murder mystery involving the military, but at times it gets a bit preachy.

Let me start by saying I love movies composed of military intrigue, involving a dogged investigator or lawyer who is determined to discover the truth. A Few Good Men, Courage Under Fire, and The Caine Mutiny come to mind. And I also happen to love Tommy Lee Jones. But, while, "In the Valley of Elah" gets off the ground and shows some early promise, it winds up being quite forgettable.

Jones plays Hank Greenfield, a retired military police sergeant whose son, recently returned from a stressful tour in Iraq, goes missing. Although his son is declared merely AWOL, we assume the worst. The problem for Jones' character is figuring out how, and why.

It's even more disappointing when we consider the cast at director Paul Haggis' disposal. James Franco, Jones, Susan Sarandon, Jason Patric, and Charlize Theron - certainly nothing to sneeze at. But the real problem is that the mystery at the core of this film isn't a friendly fire incident, a murder, or some sinister military event. No, it's nothing nearly as provocative as that. Nothing close, in fact. Instead, this film appears to be merely preaching something. What, I'm not quite sure.

While "In The Valley of Elah" appears at first glance to have the intrigue and plot points to captivate for a couple of hours, in the end, it's really just not that interesting. It certainly tries hard though.

Unlike most films of this genre Paul Haggis' "In The Valley of Elah" takes you farther and deeper into the torn lives of soldiers and the families and the toll of war takes on them. It's a masterful and powerful film that is part neo-noir, part social drama. The mix of the two collide to create a film experience that you will not forget.




"In The Valley of Elah" is not at first glance a great movie but after you finally break down and see it you will be sucked into a world of corruption, murder, deception and mystery. It's one of the best films of the decade and one of the most well made films of the modern era, it will enthrall you and enchant you. It's the kind of movie that the minute it's over you want to see it again, it's just that good.



Tommy Lee Jones owns the screen as the take no bull father looking for his AWOL son. Jones is so powerful and so convincing in the role that he completely and firmly convinces you that he's a gravel pusher. His performance is key to this film as it is almost entirely centered around him so Jones has to give it all he's got so the film can stand on two feet, he's the glue that holds everything together and he is the one that helps propel this film to greatness. Charlize Theron is the other big name player in this film, Theron is great but not as great as Jones but she puts everything she's got into the role she plays and is a worthy second to Jones.




"In The Valley of Elah" is engrossing, smart, stylish, powerful and at sometimes dark. It's a can't miss film with a can't miss performance from one of the best actors of this generation, Tommy Lee Jones. This film delivers what it promises and more. It's a film that must be seen to be truly believed.

Dark, gritty but somewhat predictable.

Finally, I have officially seen this from beginning to end. So here it is, my review of "In the Valley of Elah."
Hank Deerfield is a retired army sergeant. His son recently joined the army, and Hank drives across the country to discover the reason for his son's recent disappearance. He gets help from a local detective to piece together the mystery of the boy's possible murder, perhaps even originating from the army itself.
This is an excellent piece of film-making. A brilliant performance by Tommy Lee Jones, as well as the accompanying cast. The themes catch you deep in your heart & mind, eventually turning a seasoned soldier into an anti-military person. On top of the messages, it also makes for an intriguing mystery without being too much of a brain-buster. DeNiro & Pacino may have lost it, but I think this proves that Tommy Lee Jones still retains his greatness. I give "In the Valley of Elah" 8.5 out of 10.

I really like this film. I thought the concept was fresh and the acting was spot on. There are a few twist throughout the movie that could have you guessing.