Paul Haggis, the Oscar winning Director of Crash and famed writer of Mystic River, Casino Royale and Million Dollar Baby unleashes his newest and most provocative film onto British audiences this month. In the Valley of Elah is a thought-provoking and controversial film, focusing on US Army Veterans serving in Iraq and the effect this extreme conflict has on them and their families.
Starring Tommy Lee Jones as the father of a missing soldier, it charts his search for the truth. With the help from Detective, Charlize Theron, they uncover the startling reality behind the Veteran’s disappearance. Based on true events, Haggis looked for a challenge after his Oscar win.
“I said to the production company, find me a story that you know in your heart will never be made into a film and give it to me.” The story began from an article in Playboy and although the film is fictional, the majority of the story behind Tommy Lee Jones’ character is true. Jones is amazing as the tortured father and Vietnam Vet, dealing with the realities of his sons own actions at War.
Haggis is not a man who is afraid of strong political statements. His previous films have dealt with emotive issues such as Race and Child Abuse, this time his focus is on Iraq and our responsibility. “I’ve taken a lot of shit for this but I tried to be non-partisan. I don’t want to let people of the hook. Everyone has started blaming Bush in America but it’s not his fault. We should blame ourselves. They are over there in Iraq in my name and we cannot take the moral high ground.”
The film takes its name from the biblical tale of David and Goliath and this is an important motif in the film. “A lot of the real Vets in the film signed up on the
12th September 2001, wanting to be David. What I wanted to look at was, ‘What happens when they realise they’re not David, but Goliath?’”
The film does tackle these issues around Iraq, subverting the message in the guise of a compelling murder mystery, therefore avoiding moral overload. Haggis tries to entertain as well as teach, so the minutes fly by in this rousing and amazing film. A masterpiece.
Starring Tommy Lee Jones as the father of a missing soldier, it charts his search for the truth. With the help from Detective, Charlize Theron, they uncover the startling reality behind the Veteran’s disappearance. Based on true events, Haggis looked for a challenge after his Oscar win.
“I said to the production company, find me a story that you know in your heart will never be made into a film and give it to me.” The story began from an article in Playboy and although the film is fictional, the majority of the story behind Tommy Lee Jones’ character is true. Jones is amazing as the tortured father and Vietnam Vet, dealing with the realities of his sons own actions at War.
Haggis is not a man who is afraid of strong political statements. His previous films have dealt with emotive issues such as Race and Child Abuse, this time his focus is on Iraq and our responsibility. “I’ve taken a lot of shit for this but I tried to be non-partisan. I don’t want to let people of the hook. Everyone has started blaming Bush in America but it’s not his fault. We should blame ourselves. They are over there in Iraq in my name and we cannot take the moral high ground.”
The film takes its name from the biblical tale of David and Goliath and this is an important motif in the film. “A lot of the real Vets in the film signed up on the
12th September 2001, wanting to be David. What I wanted to look at was, ‘What happens when they realise they’re not David, but Goliath?’”
The film does tackle these issues around Iraq, subverting the message in the guise of a compelling murder mystery, therefore avoiding moral overload. Haggis tries to entertain as well as teach, so the minutes fly by in this rousing and amazing film. A masterpiece.
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