The Movie Dude: Tommy Lee Jones superb in heartbreaking ‘Elah’

People seem to have varying definitions for the term “humanity.” Some of us like to scream about others not having enough of it, while some think just the opposite. Regardless of how you feel, you can’t really deny that humanity is a driving force behind many people’s actions.

Let’s say you’re put in a situation where humanity isn’t always an option, like a war. You’re forced to make on-the-spot decisions that have outcomes you won’t always like. After so many decisions, or even after just one, how could that affect you?

That is one of the many themes running throughout “In the Valley of Elah.” It’s a heartbreaker of a film inspired by true events involving the Iraq war.

Tommy Lee Jones plays Hank Deerfield, a retired military police officer who has a strained relationship with his wife, Joan (Susan Sarandon). His son, Mike (Jonathan Tucker), is currently serving in the Iraq war.

Out of the blue, Hank gets a call from an Army official saying that Mike has returned home from a tour of duty but has gone missing and is soon to be reported AWOL. Knowing it’s not like his son to simply up and vanish, Hank launches his own personal investigation.

Visiting the town where Mike was last seen, Hank asks a local police officer, Emily (Charlize Theron), for help in finding his son. Emily turns him away, though, saying it’s a military issue.

As the story progresses, and more facts are brought to light, Emily realizes she should’ve helped from the very beginning and soon both she and Hank are working together to figure out the circumstances behind Mike’s disappearance.

However, it’s not a pleasant search. Throughout the course of it Hank realizes that his son, while over in Iraq, has developed a different side, one Hank never thought possible.

That’s only the beginning, unfortunately, and the discoveries become more and more grim as Hank and Emily dig deeper and deeper to find the truth. The only problem is that once they find it will it make them feel better or worse? Or will they be able to feel anything at all?

I wasn’t exaggerating before when I said this was a heartbreaker of a movie. Not for any one reason but for a ton of them. The performances in it, though, are so good that they keep you adhered to the screen. Jones’ in particular.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for best actor for this role, and it’s easy to see why. This time around he doesn’t play the cocky, loudmouthed braggart he’s known for and that won him the Oscar for “The Fugitive.” This time he plays it more subdued and intense.

He’s a man determined and at the same time hurting deeply, and you can see it in his eyes. His progression from stability to the end of his rope is as subtle as his performance and just as effective.

Theron continues to prove that she’s not an actor but a chameleon, capable of completely immersing herself in a role all the while throwing vanity to the wind. The character of Emily was a brave role to take on because she’s not perfect, she doesn’t have all the answers and time and again she gets shown up. Despite all that she has a chemistry with Jones that’s a perfect combination of respect and exasperation.

Sarandon’s part is really a glorified cameo, but for the few scenes she’s in she packs an emotional wallop. Her character is essentially on the outside looking in, much like us the viewers, and she really gives you a sense of what it’d be like if you were in her situation.

While “In the Valley of Elah” might not be the feel-good film of the year, it’s certainly one of the best character-driven films of the past 10. If you’re in the mood for solid acting and a sobering story, watch this film. It’ll certainly keep your humanity in check.

The Movie Dude, Joe Altomere of Fort Myers, grew up in his parents’ video store in Plantersville, Texas. He owns close to 2,000 DVDs and Blu-ray discs and considers that only the start of his collection. E-mail him at jaltomere@yahoo.com

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