After directing two low-budget crime dramas that recieved little attention both critically and commercially, director David Jacobson finally gets his chance to direct a high-concept drama with
Down In The Valley - a film that combines the old Western genre with a view of modern day suburbia. Armed with a decent budget and a cast of known actors, he crafts a film that is both surreal and fascinating - made even better by the brilliant performances on display. While it does have its flaws, namely in terms of editing and unanswered questions, this great character study is definitely one worth seeing.
The Valley that is referenced in the title is none other than San Fernando Valley, a suburb within the busting streets of California. The audience is quickly introduced to Harlan (Edward Norton), a drifter who has adopted the dress and mannerisms of a classic cowboy. Claiming that he hails from South Dakota, he has a gentle heart and behaves like a perfect gentlemen. He soon meets the young and free-spirited Tobe (Evan Rachel Wood) through a chance encounter and the two instantly hit it off. Tobe is the woman of her house, living with her father Wade (David Morse) and her distant brother Lonnie (Rory Culkin). She is instantly attracted to Harlan's quiet but sensitive approach to life and the two begin a tumultuos love affair. Naturally, Wade disapproves of the young couple, believing that Harlan is a bad influence on his daughter. But they don't seem to care about public opinion and continue to see each other. But what began as an amazing experience soon turns into a dangerous obsession, leading to many shocking and unexpected events that will change their lives forever.
Jacobson understands the film that he is making and the movie often feels like an authentic Western. The camera seems tinted with a sepia tone so everything resembles the classic dusty towns depicted in films of this type. This makes the California atmosphere depicted here a very different place from what we know. It is much grittier and no longer the land of opportunity that many consider it as. The film is also rich with visual imagery, with breathtaking cinematography present throughout. In addition to all this, Jacobson also wrote the screenplay for the project - one that is consistently original and surprising throughout. The film changes its tone often, which works with the character's conflicting emotions, and it leads towards a surprising resolution that you won't see coming. Unfortunately, the film is also quite a bit overlong. The final twenty minutes could have very easily been trimmed and this portion is where the film drags. These scenes feel unneccesary and incredibly random - doing nothing for the mood that the film has already established. Jacobson also keeps many of the backstories of these characters a complete mystery, so we never fully understand their actions or where they are coming from.
The performances on display here are excellent and among the best of the year thus far. Edward Norton, who took a brief hiatus from film to do stage work, returns to leading man status with this project and delivers some of his best work to date. He literally becomes this character and tackles all of the emotions he faces head on. He makes the character someone that you sympathize with, but you also remain suspicious of and almost fear. Delivering most of his dialogue in a soft Southern accent, he is completely believable and convincing as the conflicted cowboy. Evan Rachel Wood once again shows that she is an amazing talent with her work here as the luminous and likable Tobe. She has great chemistry with Norton and gives the role a lot of depth and emotion. David Morse does a solid job as Wade, a man who loves his children but isn't quite sure how to show it. This is also a character that goes through a major transition during the film's duration and it feels very realistic. Rory Culkin is unfortunately one of the weaker links, playing what is essentially a modified version of his performance in 2004's excellent
Mean Creek. It isn't a bad performance, but the incredible similarity of the two detracts from it quite a bit.
Overall, this is a fascinating and well-made film with excellent performances all around, especially standouts from Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood. The original story captivates the audience into a brand new world, and aside from the tiresome final few minutes, it is quite an engaging one.
8/10 (B+)
