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Film · TMDB
6.8A career officer and his wife work with a police detective to uncover the truth behind their son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.
Released: 2007-09-14124 minDir: Paul HaggisHistory, Drama, Thriller, Crime, MysteryBudget: $23.0MBox office: $29.5M
Cast
- Tommy Lee Jones as Hank Deerfield
- Charlize Theron as Detective Emily Sanders
- Susan Sarandon as Joan Deerfield
- Frances Fisher as Evie
- James Franco as Sergeant Carnelli
- Jonathan Tucker as Mike Deerfield
Themes
- police
- parent child relationship
- war crimes
~10 min read
Article
In the Valley of Elah is a 2007 American crime drama film written and directed by Paul Haggis. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon. Its title refers to the Biblical valley where the battle between David and Goliath took place.
The film is based on actual events, although the characters' names and locations have been changed. The screenplay was inspired by journalist Mark Boal's "Death and Dishonor", an article about the murder case published in Playboy magazine in 2004. It portrays a military father's search for his son and, after his body is found, subsequent hunt for his son's killers. The film explores themes including the Iraq War, abuse of prisoners, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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2007 American films2007 crime drama films2007 English-language films2007 films2007 independent filmsAmerican police detective filmsAmerican war drama filmsEnglish-language crime drama filmsEnglish-language independent filmsFilms about construction workersFilms about post-traumatic stress disorderFilms about the United States Army
