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In the Valley of Elah

Play trailer Poster for In the Valley of Elah R 2007 2h 1m War Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller History Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
73% Tomatometer 159 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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In the Valley of Elah

In the Valley of Elah

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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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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) Jan 24, 2008
4/5
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. Go to Full Review Neil Smith BBC.com Jan 24, 2008
4/5
Powerful, downbeat drama with an anti-war message. Go to Full Review William Thomas Empire Magazine Jan 24, 2008
4/5
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. Go to Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Dec 6, 2022
3.5/4
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. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Nov 26, 2020
9/10
A powerhouse of moral conflicts and unpredictable resolutions. Go to Full Review Carlos Marañón Cinemanía (Spain) Oct 28, 2020
4.5/5
Tommy Lee Jones composes an unforgettable character. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Zechariah C @RT72984548 Aug 10, 2026 Happy I ended up watching this. I don't know why it isn't talked about today. Its ratings here are good as they should be. Jones was great. He earned that Oscar nomination. Loved his on-screen chemistry with Charlize. See more bruce C @bruce999 Aug 3, 2026 interesting. a man searches for the truth about how his son died. nice drama. See more Meri S. @mschroeder May 8, 2026 Such a sad story of the toll stupid freaking wars take even off the battlefield. The acting was good. The movie was a little slow. But overall one to watch. See more Carlos T @RT67858720 Feb 24, 2026 Sem continuações, a obra conversa diretamente com filmes como Filha do General, Jack Reacher: O Último Tiro e Violação de Conduta, mas aqui o mistério é apenas a superfície — o verdadeiro campo de batalha está dentro do ser humano. 🧩 Enredo & Estória A busca de Hank pelo filho desaparecido é mais do que uma investigação — é o colapso de uma vida inteira construída sobre honra, disciplina e patriotismo. Quando o corpo esquartejado é encontrado, o filme deixa claro que não estamos diante de um crime comum, mas de uma geração destruída por uma guerra que continuou mesmo depois do retorno para casa. A dor de uma família que já havia perdido um filho em combate ganha um peso quase insuportável, especialmente na figura silenciosa de Joan. O que começa como uma procura por justiça se transforma em uma jornada de desconstrução: Hank descobre que o filho que ele idealizava não era o herói que imaginava — e essa é a facada mais profunda do filme. Nota: 6 See more thiago s @Thiagostone Jun 26, 2025 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 See more Emilliano Jr S @emill_santos Aug 23, 2024 Well-acted drama with ensemble casts. See more Read all reviews
In the Valley of Elah

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Cast & Crew

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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

Sgt. Carnelli

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In the Valley of Elah

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Movie Info

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
War, Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller, History
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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