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movie review - In the Valley of Elah

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

This is a movie about an Army veteran who receives word that his son has gone missing from an army base in the US. Believing his son to be in Iraq, he at first challenges this assertion but is told the son's unit has been returned. He tries to contact the young man, but failing to reach him decides to investigate for himself.

The veteran was an MP (and retains the rank of Sergeant) so he decides to puts his investigative skills to use. When a dismembered, partially-burned body turns up, he's told it's his son. Roping the reluctant civilian police force into his investigation when it appears that the Army is closing him out, he forces some further discoveries that lead to rather unhappy conclusions.

I liked everything about this movie. The pace is perfect, the slow reveal of a prior desperate conversation with the son, the way that things are unearthed .. I don't know how it could be better. All of the characters are natural people doing believable things. There's no grand conspiracy at play here, and in fact what this story reveals is far more important. As a (new) father this really hit home. I'm glad they set up the final message so well, "This country's in trouble."

This might be one of the best movies I've ever seen. I've been lucky, this year.

Strongly recommended. A favorite.