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| In the Valley of Elah | 
 enlarge | Director: Paul Haggis
Actors: Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Jason Patric, Susan Sarandon, James Franco
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $27.98
Buy New: $6.99
You Save: $20.99 (75%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $6.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  (87 reviews)
Sales Rank: 1641
Format: Ac-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 121 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 117627
UPC: 085391176275
EAN: 0085391176275
ASIN: B0011V7PSC
Release Date: February 19, 2008
Theatrical Release Date: September 28, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
In career Army officer Hank Deerfield's worldview, the American military exists to bring order to the world, and honor and dignity to every one of its soldiers. As played by Tommy Lee Jones, in a layered performance that will haunt the viewer long after the film is over, Deerfield wears the Army life like he does his standard-issue white T-shirts--unconsciously making a cheap motel bed with crisp inspection-ready corners. Yet if war is hell, the purgatory for the relatives of damaged soldiers can cause far more anguish, and Paul Haggis' quietly devastating In the Valley of Elah tells this story through Deerfield, who is desperately trying to piece together the fate of his adored son Mike, a soldier in Iraq. Mike's company has returned from duty, but he is missing; Hank flies from Tennessee to Fort Rudd in the Southwest, to conduct his own investigation into the disappearance. There he meets a smart but put-upon police officer (Charlize Theron, glammed-down but still showing a bit too much sexy collarbone for a cop) who also smells something off in the Army's official story of the disappearance. The two form an unlikely team, but as a friend tells Deerfield early on, "You gotta trust somebody sometime, Hank," and Mike's vanishing is Hank's tipping point. As Hank pieces together the horrifying story of Mike's fate, the incremental pain becomes etched in Jones' ragged features, and the camera captures all of it--far more powerfully than could a million words of reportage from the front lines. Theron's performance is also strong, and Susan Sarandon is moving if underutilized as Hank's grief-stricken wife, robbed of the simple nuclear family life she so wanted. "They shouldn't send heroes to places like Iraq," says one of Mike's buddies late in the film, and it's the viewers' collective sorrow--and the film's great achievement--to feel that at the deepest human level. --A.T. Hurley
Product Description
Mike Deerfield returns to the U.S. after his tour of duty in Iraq and abruptly goes missing. His father Hank a spit-and-polish ex-MP from the Vietnam era goes looking for him. What he finds goes to the heart of American combat experiences in the Iraqi conflict. Academy Award?-winning* Crash filmmaker Paul Haggis teams with Oscar?- winning* actors Tommy Lee Jones Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon in a probing powerful fact-based look at fathers and sons?and at a nation and the young soldiers it sends into battle. Jones plays Hank whose quest lays bare a tangled web of cover-up murder mystery and profound revelation about the personal costs of war.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/MILITARY & WAR UPC: 085391176275 Manufacturer No: 117627
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| Customer Reviews: Read 82 more reviews...
Valley of Elah July 26, 2008
a slow and twisting plot line. excellent acting. original story. no real surprises, but the actors work very well together and the movie reveals itself. too intense for children, but a great movie with very little real war footage.
 The movie of Jones July 24, 2008
In the first place, the camera should not have left Jones. Superb performance as usual. It is an affecting movie that touches every heart. I strongly recommend this title.
In the Valley of Elah July 14, 2008
Tommy Lee Jones and Charlize Theron give stand out performance in this drama about a retired Army Sergeant, played by Jones, trying to find out why his son has gone missing after returning from Iraq. His investigation takes him from his sons closest friends in the military to local bars and a restaurant. He gets the assistance of a female police detective, played by Theron, that is first reluctant but then more than understanding of his concern. The support cast were excellent and do a fine job making the story come to life. I am a fan of Lee's anyway, but this movie is well worth owning because of the acting, directing, story, sets, and music. Great quality DVD with good replayability. If you enjoyed this be sure to catch "Courage Under Fire" "The Package", and "Off Limits". - C. Luster
an excellent dvd July 9, 2008
a little drawn out , but well worth the money and time invested in this movie it gives us all a little insight on what goes on in the military and since it is based on a true story it is well worth adding to anyones dvd collection.
 Power of the Media July 8, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This film is solid in terms of acting and direction. The story is exciting and well constructed. But the film subtly projects a message (subtle in that it is hidden in Tommy Lee Jones's quest to solve his son's murder) that our soldiers in Iraq are self-destructive psychos with no moral fiber. War is, indeed, hell. But it does take two to fight, another truism. It is very easy to criticize when all seems to be secure; our soldiers are fighting to protect our security. The main thing that I got out of this taut drama is that the media can manipulate our sentiments. When Jones flew the flag at the end, I thought he was going to fly it the proper way to honor his son. I was surprised.
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