In the Valley of Elah

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In the Valley of Elah

R

2007

2h 1m

Drama

War

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

160 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

A police detective (Charlize Theron) helps a retired Army sergeant (Tommy Lee Jones) search for his son, a soldier who went missing soon after returning from Iraq. Hank Deerfield, a Vietnam War veteran, learns that his son may have met with foul play after a night on the town with members of his platoon.

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Critics Consensus

Though some of Paul Haggis's themes are heavy-handed, In the Valley of Elah is otherwise an engrossing murder mystery and antiwar statement, featuring a mesmerizing performance from Tommy Lee Jones.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

01/24/2008

4/5

Jones' Oscar-nominated performance is impeccably judged. His low-key turn as a man forced to question everything from the kind of father he was to the nature of the country he fought for could be the contender to give Daniel Day-Lewis a run for his money.

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Neil Smith

BBC.com

01/24/2008

4/5

Powerful, downbeat drama with an anti-war message.

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William Thomas

Empire Magazine

01/24/2008

4/5

Tense, powerful and considerably less crass than Crash, Elah may be jammed with ideas that don't all connect, but Jones' devastating performance makes this a compassionate and very human look at the Iraq conflict.

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

12/06/2022

3.5/4

This introspective co-writing effort with The Hurt Locker scribe Mark Boal might be the pinnacle of Haggis’ career. The rest of Haggis’ filmography has been a letdown, but at least for this one moment in cinema, he got it mostly right.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/26/2020

9/10

A powerhouse of moral conflicts and unpredictable resolutions.

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Carlos Marañón

Cinemanía (Spain)

10/28/2020

4.5/5

Tommy Lee Jones composes an unforgettable character. [Full review in Spanish]

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Jun 26

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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Emilliano Jr S

@emill_santos 08/23/2024

Well-acted drama with ensemble casts.

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Bulgantamir B

08/08/2024

The director is a good person with experience

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Godfrey D

08/07/2024

Its a really good movie.

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Бавуу Э

08/07/2024

A police detective (Charlize Theron) helps a retired Army sergeant (Tommy Lee Jones) search for his son, a soldier who went missing soon after returning from Iraq. Hank Deerfield, a Vietnam War veteran, learns that his son may have met with foul play after a night on the town with members of his platoon.

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03/02/2023

Good acting with a meh to alright story 3.0

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Paul Haggis

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Hank Deerfield

Charlize Theron

Det. Emily Sanders

Jason Patric

Lt. Kirklander

Susan Sarandon

Joan Deerfield

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Synopsis

A police detective (Charlize Theron) helps a retired Army sergeant (Tommy Lee Jones) search for his son, a soldier who went missing soon after returning from Iraq. Hank Deerfield, a Vietnam War veteran, learns that his son may have met with foul play after a night on the town with members of his platoon.

Director: Paul Haggis
Producer: Paul Haggis, Laurence Becsey, Patrick Wachsberger, Steve Samuels, Darlene Caamano Loquet
Screenwriter: Paul Haggis
Production Co: Samuels Media, Summit Entertainment, Blackfriars Bridge, Nala Films
Rating: R (Some Sexuality/Nudity|Language|Violent and Disturbing Content)
Genre: Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8M
Runtime: 2h 1m

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