Movie Natters: March 5, 2008 Archive

Into the Valley with Tommy Lee Jones

Posted at 6:47 PM on March 5, 2008 by Euan Kerr (1 Comments)

One of the pities of the attention Daniel Day Lewis received for "There will be Blood' is the way it overshadowed Tommy Lee Jones remarkable performance in "In the Valley of Elah."

Jones plays Hank Deerfield the father of soldier who disappears shortly after he returns from a tour of duty in Iraq. Hank is a retired military policeman who knows his way around an investigation, and how to deal with the bureaucratic roadblocks thrown in his way. As it becomes clear that something terrible has happened to his son Hank also has to deal with his own demons.

It's a finely tuned, rage-filled portrayal of a tamped-down man trying to come to terms with an impossible situation. It's heart-rending. And unforgettable. Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon only add to the intensity.

It's available on DVD now.

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