Home / In the Valley of Elah

In the Valley of Elah

Year:

2007

Duration:

121 min

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

IMDB rate:

7.2

Director:

Paul Haggis

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 12 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2007-09-28

Filming Locations: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Earnings

Opening Weekend: $133,557 (USA) (16 September 2007)

Gross: $6,777,741 (USA) (21 February 2008)

Cast

Actor

Character

Charlize Theron

In the Valley of Elah

Jason Patric

In the Valley of Elah

Tommy Lee Jones

Hank Deerfield

Susan Sarandon

Joan Deerfield

James Franco

Sgt. Dan Carnelli

Barry Corbin

Arnold Bickman

Josh Brolin

Chief Buchwald

Frances Fisher

Evie

Wes Chatham

Corporal Steve Penning

Jake McLaughlin

Spc. Gordon Bonner

Mehcad Brooks

Spc. Ennis Long

Jonathan Tucker

Mike Deerfield

Wayne Duvall

Detective Nugent

Roman Arabia

Private Robert Ortiez (as Victor Wolf)

Brent Briscoe

Detective Hodge

Greg Serano

Detective Manny Nunez (as Greg Serrano)

Brent Sexton

Lt. Burke

Devin Brochu

David Sanders

Zoe Kazan

Angie

Glenn Taranto

Detective Wayne

Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Jodie (as Jennifer Siebel)

Joseph Bertót

School Janitor (as Joseph Bertot)

Rick Gonzalez

Phone Technician (as Rick Gonzales)

Loren Haynes

Police Photographer

Babak Tafti

Iraqi Prisoner

Sean Huze

Captain Jim Osher

Jack Merrill

Medical Examiner

Kathy Lamkin

Chicken Shack Manager

David Doty

Truck Parts Salesman

Pab Schwendimann

Pussy's Bouncer

Josh Meyer

Joseph R. Millard

Arron Shiver

Cop

Jo Harvey Allen

Jo Anne

Chris Browning

Checker Box Bartender

David House

Morgue Officer

Matthew Page

Guard (as Matt Page)

Pierre Barrera

TD's Bartender

Mike Hatfield

Jo Anne's Husband

James Haggis

Soccer Ball Player

Randall Adams

New Recruit

Hans Steckly

Corporal Steckly

Arlin Alcala

Neighbor (uncredited)

James Blackburn

Cowboy (uncredited)

Steven Blacksmith

Soldier (uncredited)

Diego Deane

Military Police Officer (uncredited)

Esodie Geiger

Military Nurse (uncredited)

Karen M. Hudson

Office Detective (uncredited)

Laurie Johnson

Neighbor (uncredited)

Daniel Knight

Detective (uncredited)

William E. Marshall

Detective (uncredited)

Z. Ray Wakeman

Detective Driver (uncredited)

Brandon Weaver

Morgue Tech (uncredited)

Wil Willis

Angie's Husband (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Several of the actors who played soldiers, including Wes Chatham (Corporal Steve Penning), Jake McLaughlin (Spc. Gordon Bonner) and Sean Huze (Captain Jim Osher) had actually served in the Iraq War themselves.

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Takes its title from the Bible - Elah was the valley where David met Goliath.

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According to Paul Haggis, Clint Eastwood helped get this film greenlight.

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Goofs

The position of Sanders' arms and the way she is carrying the Bible change between shots as she says goodbye to Deerfield.

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Hank, a truck driver, reads an email discussing a "weigh bill." The proper term is "waybill."

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After the crime scene is handed to the army, Hank Deerfield is seen rolling out of bed, a shot of his feet landing on the carpet shows pressure imprints of socks on his ankles indicating he had just removed socks, which as he just rolled out of bed wouldn't be the case.

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Quotes

Captain Jim Osher: Sir. I regret to inform you that a body was found last night. Upon investigation we believe it to be the remains of your son, Specialist Michael Deerfield.

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Det. Emily Sanders: I will arrest every soldier whose blood alcohol is 1/1000 over the legal limit. How many men do you think that will be?

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Det. Emily Sanders: David wants a slingshot now.

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Faq

What is the significance of the title?

Hank tells Emily's son the story of David and Goliath, which took place in the valley of Elah, an area 50 minutes southwest of Jerusalem. This story is a part of the tradition of the Abrahamic religions. David, a mere boy, battled the giant Goliath one-on-one. This story and the title serve as an allegory for any warzone (in this case, Iraq) where young, inexperienced American soldiers (the 'Davids') are thrown in the midst of a hostile, unpredictable and chaotic situation (which represents the 'Goliath') for which they are ill-prepared.The soldiers are given orders which clash heavily with their conscience, like having to run over people with a van if they get in front of a convoy. It causes them to become so traumatized and conflicted, that they try to cope in dubious ways, like using drugs and torturing innocent war victims. In a sense, the 'Davids' become the arrogant aggressors (the 'Goliaths') themselves.

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