Product Description: Harlan is a charismatic cowboy whose chance encounter with an innocent & pure girl tobe grows into a passionate romance. Blinded by the intensity of his first love harlan is unable to cope & begins to push the boundaries & comes crashing down in a torrent of violence proving hes not who he appeared. Studio: Image Entertainment Release Date: 10/23/2007 Starring: Edward Norton Rory Culkin Run time: 114 minutes Rating: R
Amazon.com: Down in the Valley falls short of the greatness it's striving for, but it's a fascinating film that's easily recommended. Serving as both star and co-producer, Edward Norton seized upon writer-director David Jacobsen's neo-western screenplay as an opportunity to play the kind of daring and challenging role that Hollywood rarely offers. Norton's considerable talent is fully engaged as he portrays Harlan Carruthers, a cowboy anachronism in California's San Fernando Valley, where his Stetson hat, old-fashioned manners, and wild-west romanticism provide an escape from his dreary life of dead-end jobs and fleabag motels. We can't tell if he's really a former ranch-hand from South Dakota or a delusional psychopath, and that turns Down in the Valley into a suburban variation of Taxi Driver, with the threat of danger increasing as Harlan is befriended by Tobe (Evan Rachel Wood), a bored teenager who seduces Harlan for the sake of romantic adventure. Tension and suspense escalate even further as Harlan tangles with Tobe's suspicious and belligerently protective father (David Morse) and lonely 13-year-old brother (Rory Culkin), but Jacobsen's intriguing film grows problematic when it veers into mythic western territory. Struggling for present-day resonance with themes of rugged individualism and frontier manhood in an era when those qualities are virtually extinct, Down in the Valley reaches a climax that feels forced and unconvincing, but fine performances (especially by Norton) and Jacobsen's bold, risk-taking direction make this a film worth seeing.--Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - I'm gonna give it 5 for David Morse
Down in the Valley is a classic tale about just how lost we can get in life. Edward Norton plays a confused young man (Harlan) who has found his place in life to be a time that has past. There are some ... Read More
Rating: - What movie was the reviewer watching?
Because it certainly wasen't this stinker. Before, everyone jumps down my throat, let me say that I think Ed Norton is one of the best actors in the world today, his range is nothing short of amazing. And, ... Read More
Rating: - Great Film!!
This was a great film! This seller was great as well..... Fast Shipping.....Excellent service!!!
Rating: - Ed Norton Channels James Dean
This is a pretty good film. It isn't a great film but it is a good film. The entire cast turns in stellar performances and Evan Rachel Wood is just a beautiful as ever though I think she was better in The King ... Read More
Rating: - Don't say anything...
The final line of Down In The Valley is: "Don't say anything...just think it." You can read all the reviews of this film you want and you still won't have any idea of how it is going to impress you. And it will ... Read More
- I'm gonna give it 5 for David Morse
- What movie was the reviewer watching?
- Ed Norton Channels James Dean