From NetFlix:
When exemplary soldier Mike Deerfield (Jonathan Tucker) disappears after returning from Iraq, his concerned father (Tommy Lee Jones, in an Oscar-nominated role) — a retired sergeant — works with gutsy police Det. Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron) to investigate. Writer-director Paul Haggis based his script on events reported by Mark Boal in a Playboy magazine article. James Franco, Josh Brolin, Jason Patric and Susan Sarandon also star.
As you will learn in the film, the valley of Elah is where David killed Goliath.
Having seen a mediocre film starring Tommy Lee Jones (In the Electric Mist (2008)), I was pleased that this film, also starring Tommy Lee Jones, was so amazing.
Let there be no doubt: this is an anti-war film. But it is perhaps the most subtle anti-war film I have ever seen. There is no preaching, rather the characters speak for themselves, and it is a scary spectacle indeed.
For me the most unsettling moment comes when Corporal Penning (played to perfection by Wes Chatham) non-confesses to a horrible crime. That is to say, he describes in a completely non-emotional manner what he did and then adds my pet-peeve phrase “Sorry for your loss”. Other reviews have labeled this character as having evolved in Iraq into a sociopath suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
To understand the factual basis for the film, you should read the Wikkipedia article.
Other themes abound in the film: sexist resentment toward Detective Sanders (admirably played by Charlize Theron), father-son relations, military cover-ups, turf wars, etc.
Often I complain of the style of acting in which the actor does not emote, but rather expects the audience to guess what that character is thinking at that moment. Call it lazy acting. However, this style is used to great effect in this film and avoids the flaw of preaching.
Please enjoy something that Theron does well, namely: she is constantly battling male sexism, bureaucratic cover-ups, etc. But in several scenes she summons her courage and speaks out with a steely stare. However, just as soon as her adversary turns away, you can see her insecurity steal back into her eyes. Wonderful! Watch her interact not only with her pension-oriented boss but also with a powerful confrontation with Lt. Kirklander (Jason Patric).
And yes it took me some time to convince myself that it really was Jason Patric playing Lt. Kirklander as a military bureaucrat intent on protecting the army from bad publicity. Time flies!
Primarily because it is done so well (and secondarily because it addresses the effect of war on our young military) I urge you to see this film.