When Michael Deerfield returns from Iraq he quickly goes AWOL, breaking connection with both the army and his family. Then a few days later his body is found burned and dismembered. Now it is up to a local police detective (Charlize Theron) to help Michael's parents (Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon) find out what happened to their son. With the military trying to keep the case hushed it will take a lot more than the law to get the truth.
Though the story has about a fifteen minute segment of sluggish action, In the Valley of Elah contains the perfect mixture of emotion, humor and reality that brings your body to the edge of your seat and your heart in a state of awe as you watch a father experience hell on Earth.
The strongest aspect of the film by far is its acting. Jones portrays a stern, military father whose war-like attitudes and emotions are captivating as a relatable father is brought to the screen. Combine that with Sarandon, an underused force, as she is barely in the film, who plays a weeping mother who is simply stuck in a state of shock and chemistry quickly flourishes and carves out a realistic couple caught in the worst of situations. Throw in Theron, who more than carries her own as the tough, out to prove her worth, police detective, and you have a triad of weapons that not only deserve but demand your attention.
In addition to the superb acting is the shocking, yet amazing story. Taken from true accounts the script travels to a father looking for closure, a mother trying to understand the "˜whys' of war, and a police detective trying to solidify her position creating a three sided story that appeals to one and all. However, one theme lies at the bottom of the story that many people won't ever come to comprehend, that of the love that a father has for his son. Jones hits numerous speed bumps as he quickly discovers that his son isn't the man that he thought he was. Paraded with many secrets of drugs, women and a horrible incident while overseas, it is a father who has to learn to accept and love his son for who he is and has become that truly catapults the film into greatness. This simple, deep theme helps bring the film to a relatable level, and with Jones on top of his game, a father's love enters the viewer's hears and brings about a truly special film.
