In The Valley of Elah

***1/2 Stars

What baffles me about our country's choice in movies is the evidence pertaining to films that either strike gold at the box-office or plummet into oblivion. For example, we had Meet the Spartans (a film only eight year olds seeing their first PG-13 movie ever would enjoy) open strongly at $18.5 million. This is a film that ads further proof to our obsession with celebrity gossip and pointless gags, where In the Valley of Elah is a hard-hitting-slam-dunk of timely importance. What's its total domestic gross? $6 million.

I wonder how the cast & crew felt about their film's result. Director Paul Haggis has already been getting negative backlash for his Best Picture win with Crash. For those mad that Brokeback didn't win, I understand your loss, but Haggis is not responsible for the Academy's choice (even though I believe it was the right one). ITVOE's $6 million opening probably comes from the speculation before its opening. The buzz was not good. People did not want to see Haggis succeed again, even though out of all the post 9/11 films, this one was the critical favorite. Tommy Lee Jones played a big part in its artistic success.

Jones is perfectly cast as Hank Deerfield, an army veteran whose son is stationed over in Iraq. What makes this performance so strong is Jones commitment to authenticity and simplicity. The film begins with Hank living his everyday life. He wakes up, eats breakfast, puts up the American Flag, fixes his truck, does errands, and spends time with his wife (played by the emotional Susan Sarandon). This is an American, one who understands reality but also expects something in return. When his son disappears after returning home from the Iraq War, Hank soon discovers that serving your country is not what it used to be. His son was murdered, in a way no parent should witness. With the help of local Detective Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron), Hank journey's back to try and discover the hidden truth behind his son's heartbreaking death.

The relationship between Jones and Theron's characters is more complex than we would expect. Theron is not just a detective trying to get ahead. Her life is explored through the case of Hank's son. The case not only affects her work, but also her role as a mother. There is a touching scene where Hank tells a story to her son about where David battled Goliath, right in the valley of Elah.

Out of all the Iraq War films, I would say this one is the most sincere. Not for one second does this film promote anti-American propaganda. Haggis and company show their love for what our country stands for. However, they, along with myself, just want those running it to give us a sign that we truly are a land of the free and home of the brave. There's a scene where Hank is driving past a school and notices that the American flag is upside down. He tells the janitor who put the flag up (he is of Spanish decent) that it’s a distress code, signifying that our nation is under duress. Should Hank leave it the way it is?