‘Elah’ packs emotional punch into murder mystery
Years from now, when Americans shamefully survey the emotional and physical wreckage of the Iraq War, many will look back on “In the Valley of Elah” as the first film to successfully articulate our nation’s anguish. The story is deceptively simple; a father goes looking for his lost son, who has disappeared after returning home from duty in Iraq. But if the plot of the film is sparse, the layers of silent pain beneath it are limitless and deep. Bold, challenging and essential, “In the Valley of Elah” accomplishes something rather remarkable; it crystallizes the collective psychic pain of a nation forced to cope with meaningless loss. More »
