In the Valley of Elah (2007)

Paul Haggis seems to be at it again, though you'd be hard pressed to tell that this film came from the writer/director of Crash. With a pace set somewhere between “mosey” and “molasses going uphill” and a feel far removed from his colorful vision of Los Angeles, you could almost start thinking he's grown up. The subject matter is handled with extreme sensitivity but enough rough-and-tumble to feel realistic and honest, while his directing moves toward the thinking man's drama. For the most part, Haggis and company do a beautiful job. In fact, about the only negatives to the film are the very things that make it what it is. The slow pace kills much of the story's momentum before it even takes root, leaving exceptional actors to fill in the space (which they do admirably!). Meanwhile, the extreme honestly and mind toward its potentially politically charged tale means that it's hard to feel that you're watching something you yourself haven't encountered either in real life or in another, more commercially viable movie. You could either be slowly pulled into its emotional storytelling, or put to sleep by it—could go either way. For my money, it's a very good film if you're of the kind who can appreciate acting in place of tempo.

8 out of 10.