Sound: Just simple sound editing and sound track use here. 60/100 Technical: Nice use of cell phone video. Use of simple location sets. 70/100 Narrative: Standard crime investigation film. It moves a little slow and meticulous like a real investigation and Tommy Lee Jones' character does. Flows with logic then we get a twist at the end. 60/100 Character/Acting: Very well acted; Charlize Theron and Tommy Lee Jones draw a lot of sympathy and they both arc well; and in ways we do not anticipate. This is the strong point of the film. 90/100 Did I like it: Yes, my sympathies for the characters and the mystery solving kept my interest. 70/100 Artistic merit: There are better films that deal with the effects of war on soldiers and their families, but looking at these issues in a criminal investigation is a different approach. 70/100 Total score 70/100

Released in 2007 and directed & written by Paul Haggis, "In the Valley of Elah" is a crime drama/mystery inspired by the real-life case of Richard T. Davis. The story revolves around an elderly Tennessee couple (Tommy Lee Jones & Susan Sarandon) who get word that their son has gone missing from his base in New Mexico shortly after his return from Iraq. A retired military investigator, Hank Deerfield (Jones) goes to the base to find out the awful truth. Charlize Theron plays the civilian detective near the base who tries to help Hank while Jason Patric plays the Army counterpart. Josh Brolin is on hand as the town police chief. This is a slow-burn mystery highlighted by great acting by the principles, especially Jones, and a thoroughly realistic story, which isn't surprising seeing as how it's based on true events. Speaking of which, I was surprised to find out that the basic details of the story are all accurate. The actual events took place in the Fort Benning area of Georgia rather than the fictitious Fort Rudd, NM.The movie's not anti-Iraq War, but rather anti-PTSD; it merely reveals the awful truth about war in general: When we send our young men off to far-off lands where brutal warfare is normal they can bring that desensitized mentality back with them where the barbaric behavior that might be acceptable in war is anything but normal or conducive to a successful life, to say the least. Add the idiocy of alcohol abuse to the mix of PTSD and the results almost certainly WON'T be good. The title refers to the valley where David, as a teen, fought and defeated the utterly intimidating Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. ADDITIONAL ACTORS: James Franco, Wes Chatham, Jake McLaughlin, Mehcad Brooks and Roman Arabia play soldiers who knew Deerfield's son while Frances Fisher has a curious cameo (you'll know what I mean).The film runs 121 minutes and was shot in Whiteville, Tennessee, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, with Morocco substituting for Iraq.GRADE: B

In Munro, Tennessee, hard-nosed former military police Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones) receives a call that his son Mike is missing after returning from Iraq and soon to be declared AWOL. He and his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon) had already lost a son to war. He travels to Fort Rudd, New Mexico. Local police detective (Charlize Theron) is overwhelmed by troubled vets and hazing from fellow cops. Mike's burnt dismembered body is soon found on military property. It becomes a fight over jurisdiction and road blocks from superiors.This is some of Paul Haggis' best work. It's a bleak portrait. Tommy Lee Jones is great at this type of hard-nosed man. Theron's struggles as a working single mom is compelling. The murder mystery is stark. It's not really a whodunnit mystery which makes the ending fitting. The dark take on the Iraq campaign does overwhelm at times especially the reveal at the end. Haggis takes a couple of parting shots at the end that are probably unnecessary. By that time, the point has already been made.

I'm nearly 60 so I'll shoot from the hip on this one. This is a film for adults. Its a film for people who've been through life and its experiences, who've been through wars, and who know a bit about human nature.Its slow, painstaking and often painful. Its realistic, sometimes horribly so. And yet its one of the most thoughtful and intelligent films of recent years. Its not for the whiz kid or the whoopee brigade. But it should be shown at every high school and military academy. At least give the kids some idea of what another reality in the world can be like if adults mess up, when adults mess up.Tommy Lee Jones is superb. Susan Sarandon is exceptional in the restrained playing of her supporting role. Charlize Theron complements TLJ very nicely. But its his movie. Its what he's best at, taking command and getting the job done with a gruff but real sympathy and humanity. I'll be really sorry when he retires.Its easily a 10. I won't say more. I'll let the film speak for itself.