1) In the Valley of Elah

In the Valley of Elah (2007)

Director: Paul Haggis
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon


I decided to kick off the year with a film I've had on the shelf for a little while and had yet to get around to, Paul Haggis's In the Valley of Elah. With a screenplay by Haggis (Million Dollar Baby and Crash) you can be reasonably sure of two things; you know it's going to be good, but it's not going to be light entertainment.

Based on actual events, In the Valley of Elah (taking its name from the valley in which David defeated Goliath) follows retired military police investigator Hand Deerfield (Jones) as he investigates the disappearance and ultimately the murder of his son, recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.

While the film is not set in Iraq, the Iraq war hangs heavily over the events of the story. The film explores the dehumanising influence of war, what happens when people become immune to the pain of others. This exploration of modern military culture is made all the more effective through its juxtaposition of Jones’s character with the old school military honour and pride he embodies.

For me, what really made this film was its very impressive cast, headlined by three Oscar winners; Jones (Best Supporting Actor - The Fugitive), Theron (Best Actress - Monster) and Sarandon (Best Actress - Dead Man Walking), with handy supporting turns from James Franco and Josh Brolin. Jones in particular gives a fantastic performance as the stoic Deerfield.

This is by no means the first film to explore the effect of war on returning soldiers, but it is definitely worth a look. It is quite a slow film, but never boring, rather the pacing is appropriate given the heaviness of the subject matter.