On DVD (2006), 114 Minutes, Rated R.
Down in the Valley is an independent film that starts out like too many other independent films, with an inappropriate love story involving an underage girl and a misfit, but ends like too few, feeling honest and real. Edward Norton plays Harlan, a delusional cowboy with charm and an odd innocence who is swept up by the too-knowing, girl-on-the-verge, 17-year-old Tobe, played by Evan Rachel Wood. Their romance angers Tobe’s father, a police officer with demons of his own played by David Morse. He sees in Harlan every two-bit criminal he picks up every day. Eventually Tobe must push Harlan away, beginning a series of increasingly tragic acts of violence.
Norton is dynamite as Harlan, a cowboy searching for a way of life that no longer exists and a father who left when he was ten. Wood is solid here as well, bringing the conflicted feelings and surplus of emotion that marks late adolescents perfectly to the screen. The love scenes were honest if a bit much for me (Norton was 36 when this was filmed, Wood was 17) and seem oddly prophetic now considering Wood’s current love, Marilyn Manson. The film is largely about fathers: what happens when they leave, their flaws, how much we all need one, and how they do or don’t show love. But what really struck me was the dignity writer/director David Jacobson invests in every character. He mourns, and in so doing allows us to mourn, every death, even the needful ones. It’s not a perfect movie, but I can’t quit thinking about it. B+
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Down in the Valley, B+
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4 comments:
Hmmm. Interesting. I wasn't sure what to make of this one from the marketing. I'll add it to the queue.
C-. I couldn't go with it because I was 100% with Morse. If some pervert in their mid-30s is trying to get on your teenage daughter, you don't care if their momma didn't love them or their daddy walked out. I'm sorry your life's screwed up, but your not screwing up my daughter's.
doctor, i was 100% with morse as well, and i'm not a dad, so i'm sure that brings up some different feelings. but what struck me about this film is that it seemed real. i was thinking, wow, so that's how this wierd crap goes down.... and i appreciated that no one ever made excuses for edward norton's character. you knew from the second you met him (just like morse) that he was absolutely bad news. but, the film acknowledged that his life was tragic, no excuses, but still tragic.
(third act spoilers): The ending shootout seemed false to me. Didn't they wander onto a movie set where they were filming a Western? These movies where the leads are really anti-heroes are tought to get right.
After your reviews of The Painted Veil and this, I think you have a serious Norton man-crush. Although I just saw Painted Veil and liked it much more than I thought I would (B).
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