Down in the Valley

I thought I had seen all of Edward Norton's movies, but I couldnt remember having seen this one.

The bad: it didnt leave a lasting impression. It's not a bad movie, simply a lackluster one. Nothing much happens for the first hour and only at the end there is a bizarre violent final, which is out of place.

The good: Edward Norton is a great actor. He does his best to get into his character, but somehow I didnt buy into it...

"Down in the Valley" is a reasonably satisfactory effort for an independent film & was worth the rental. It further cements my opinion that Edward Norton is capable of nearly anything as an actor, & I've grown to appreciate Evan Rachel Wood's abilities more as she's gotten older. David Morse is, as always, a force, & Rory Culkin plays his usual melancholy, "Wise beyond his years" persona well enough. Though they each have their dryer moments in the film, the performances from all were formidable, including a couple minuscule appearances from Geoffery Lewis & Bruce Dern.

The overall look of the film is not entirely unlikable, & the premise is admirable, though not completely focused, in either regard. There is an obvious attempt to lure the audience into a fantasized reality that is common in children & mental deviants, both of which this film supports, in abundance. I enjoyed the ideas behind the character interaction, though not necessarily their development. If the writer/director's intention was to try to combine the innocence of "Forrest Gump" & the penchant for gun play & pedophilia of "Taxi Driver", then I'd say he was fairly successful. However, if his intention was for the viewer to identify with any one of the film's characters, then I'm afraid he may need to work on that, or get out & meet different people

I give it a 6 out of 10 ranking, most of which is for the acting

The film's first 45 minutes to an hour are slow, but not without purpose. It sets the stage, allowing Norton to do what he's done well throughout his career; he outlines, builds, defines, and justifies his character's actions, thereby resulting in another intense yet effortless and simply riveting performance. Norton, IMHO, is likely to be doing this same thing three decades from now. He may well be the American Michael Caine, moving between leading man and scene stealing supporting actor in film after film and at a performance level that rarely dips below "spot on."

Evan Rachel Wood, while hardly stretching beyond her petulant, teen rebel persona, does a very credible job, as does Rory Culkin as Wood's younger brother. David Morse, as brooding, explosive, and understated as ever, is solid in his role as Wood's somewhat predictable, but no less authentic father.

This is a clever, crafted, and satisfying film that delivers. Again, it takes a while to get started, but it proves its mettle.

Edward Norton's troubled character is really strong, reminding somehow Taxi Driver's De Niro - though not so immense. The story is well-told and generates suspense and melancholy, plus David Morse is in my opinion a very talented actor and Rachel Wood's performance is nothing bad. That's why I reckon this revisionist Western is cryptic and enigmatic at the same time, powerful would say. On the other hand the lead actor is one of the best nowadays and this time, playing the role of a potential psychopath turning into a real psychopath, manages to be extremely believable. The Los Angeles setting as well is very appropriate.

Like many other posters have stated, I wanted to like this film; it seemed to have a lot going for it (great cast, interesting plot, terrific visuals). So I dug in and stayed through to the end, hoping it would at least come to a satisfying conclusion. Well it didn't. For one thing, it was about 30 minutes too long- from the opening scenes when Tobe (Wood) meets Harlan (Norton) you know two things are guaranteed: they are going to fall in love, and something tragic is going to happen. Problem is, the director throws in so much unnecessary filler (trippy scenes at a club, repetitive family squabbles) that the focus of the story gets off track.

At its heart this film is a character study/slice of life piece. Tobe, a teenage girl rebelling from her overbearing, violent but caring father Wade (David Morse) and Harlan, a wannabe cowboy with childhood abandonment issues who lives in a delusional world, hook up at a gas station; she is immediately smitten with his "aw shucks" attitude and his focus on her. Harlan tries to ingratiate himself into her family life, attempting to smooth things over with dad and befriending her younger brother Lonnie (Rory Culkin in another mesmerizing turn), who has no male role model in his life (he is adopted, and neglected, by Wade). You know things are going to turn sour when these twisted lives intertwine, especially when we see that Harlan likes to act out old Westerns in his room, using real six shooters. Throw in the fact that Tobe's dad is a corrections officer, veteran, and avid gun collector, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this crush is going to end badly. But when the tragic events finally do unfold, it's not in the manner I expected, nor hoped; plus the finale drags on to the point where I was praying for it to end already (not a good one to watch after midnight).

This one had so much potential, and there WAS a lot to like about the film: the performances were stellar across the board, the cinematography depicted beautiful images of the new San Fernando Valley where it collides with the Old West, and the ideas were ambitious and commendable. But with some editing and a tighter script, this intriguing little indie could have really been a keeper.