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In the Valley of Elah
Academy Award® Nominee
The story of a war veteran, his wife, and the search for their son, a soldier who recently returned from Iraq but has mysteriously gone missing, and the police detective who helps in the...  View more >

Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon...  View more >

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Reviews Summary


Please Note: Reader Reviews are submitted by the readers of The BigScreen Cinema Guide and represent their own personal opinions regarding this movie, and do not represent the views of The BigScreen Cinema Guide, or any of its associated entities.

Oct 1, 2007
Usually I enjoy & often agree with the reviews of James Berardinelli. In the case of "In the Valley of Elah", I neither enjoyed or agreed with his review. I more than liked this movie. I thought it was powerful.

Somehow I suspect that J.B. doesn't like the content or the theme of the movie.

You don't have to be around many Iraq vets themselves and/or their families to figure out that this movie is touching on some pretty sore spots in America right now.

But Tommy Lee Jones is superb in it. Theron is also superb. Are there some missteps in the telling? Yes. Are there some skipped beats in the pacing? Yes. (At points it bogs down.) But "In the Valley of Elah" is a truly GREAT viewing experience overall.

Funny that I should react so strongly because almost always I think J. B.'s reviews really nail the worth of a potential viewing experience. A lot of the time I actually make decisions about whether to spend some of my hard-earned bucks on a flick by first taking a look at what Berardinelli thinks of it.

Sorry, J.B., but this time around I think you missed the whole point of the story in "The Valley of Elah". Either that, or maybe you simply are very uncomfortable with the "message" of this film. Well, guess what? The "message" didn't make me comfortable or feel "pleasant" either.

Either way, your review reveals shows you have a sore thumb approach when it comes to movies about what's happening to America & American families at this time.

In my opinion, Berardinelli didn't hit the nail on the head; he simply disclosed his discomfort with theme / content that he plainly disagrees with. "In the Valley of Elah"? It is not just a good movie; it is absolutely EXCELLENT! I say, "Don't miss this flick! It is a GREAT movie!"

But for any viewers who feel that any criticism of Iraq policy is "unpatriotic" or something like that, DON'T GO TO THIS MOVIE! If you think critical thought about current U.S. Iraq policy is disloyal, you will HATE this flick -- and you certainly will feel like you've wasted your money. The only thing I can figure is that Berardinelli is coming from that point of view.
Oct 11, 2007
A powerful movie written and directed by Paul Haggis who knows a lot about the heartbreak of a pareant who\'s son has died. Tommy Lee Jones plays a vietnam veteran who is out to find out who killed his son. He has help from a police detective played by Charlize Theron in another good performance. \"In the Valley of Elah\" is a personal and powerful story in the backdrop of the Iraq War. A strong performance by Jones may get him another Oscar nomination. He\'s not seen as a hero, but a man who lose his son who wants to know who killed him. This is one of the best movies of 2007.
Oct 13, 2012

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