In the Valley of Elah

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In the Valley of Elah

R

Released Sep 21, 2007

2h 1m

Drama

War

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Popcornmeter

73%

Tomatometer

160 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

A police detective (Charlize Theron) helps a retired Army sergeant (Tommy Lee Jones) search for his son, a soldier who went missing soon after returning from Iraq. Hank Deerfield, a Vietnam War veteran, learns that his son may have met with foul play after a night on the town with members of his platoon.

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Critics Consensus

Though some of Paul Haggis's themes are heavy-handed, In the Valley of Elah is otherwise an engrossing murder mystery and antiwar statement, featuring a mesmerizing performance from Tommy Lee Jones.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

Jones' Oscar-nominated performance is impeccably judged. His low-key turn as a man forced to question everything from the kind of father he was to the nature of the country he fought for could be the contender to give Daniel Day-Lewis a run for his money.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 24, 2008

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Neil Smith

BBC.com

Powerful, downbeat drama with an anti-war message.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 24, 2008

Full Review

William Thomas

Empire Magazine

Tense, powerful and considerably less crass than Crash, Elah may be jammed with ideas that don't all connect, but Jones' devastating performance makes this a compassionate and very human look at the Iraq conflict.

Rated: 4/5

Jan 24, 2008

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

This introspective co-writing effort with The Hurt Locker scribe Mark Boal might be the pinnacle of Haggis’ career. The rest of Haggis’ filmography has been a letdown, but at least for this one moment in cinema, he got it mostly right.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 6, 2022

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

A powerhouse of moral conflicts and unpredictable resolutions.

Rated: 9/10

Nov 26, 2020

Full Review

Carlos Marañón

Cinemanía (Spain)

Tommy Lee Jones composes an unforgettable character. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 28, 2020

Full Review

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thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/26/25

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Emilliano Jr S

Well-acted drama with ensemble casts.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/23/24

Full Review

Bulgantamir B

The director is a good person with experience

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/08/24

Full Review

Godfrey D

Its a really good movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/07/24

Full Review

Бавуу Э

A police detective (Charlize Theron) helps a retired Army sergeant (Tommy Lee Jones) search for his son, a soldier who went missing soon after returning from Iraq. Hank Deerfield, a Vietnam War veteran, learns that his son may have met with foul play after a night on the town with members of his platoon.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/07/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Good acting with a meh to alright story 3.0

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/02/23

Full Review

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Paul Haggis

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Hank Deerfield

Charlize Theron

Det. Emily Sanders

Jason Patric

Lt. Kirklander

Susan Sarandon

Joan Deerfield

James Franco

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Synopsis

A police detective (Charlize Theron) helps a retired Army sergeant (Tommy Lee Jones) search for his son, a soldier who went missing soon after returning from Iraq. Hank Deerfield, a Vietnam War veteran, learns that his son may have met with foul play after a night on the town with members of his platoon.

Director: Paul Haggis
Producer: Paul Haggis, Laurence Becsey, Patrick Wachsberger, Steve Samuels, Darlene Caamano Loquet
Screenwriter: Paul Haggis
Production Co: Samuels Media, Summit Entertainment, Blackfriars Bridge, Nala Films
Rating: R (Some Sexuality/Nudity|Language|Violent and Disturbing Content)
Genre: Drama, War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8M
Runtime: 2h 1m

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