Down in the Valley (2005)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

David Jacobson

Writer:

David Jacobson (writer)

Release Date:

9 December 2005 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Sometimes it's hard to find your way...

Plot:

Set in the present-day San Fernando Valley, the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy and the relationship that he starts with a rebellious young woman.

Plot Keywords:

Father | Valley | Cowboy | Cowboy Hat | Beach

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Edward Norton	...	Harlan
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Tobe
David Morse	...	Wade
Rory Culkin	...	Lonnie
Bruce Dern	...	Charlie
John Diehl	...	Steve
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Sheridan
Elizabeth Peña	...	Gale
Kat Dennings	...	April
Hunter Parrish	...	Kris
Aviva	...	Sherri
Aaron Fors	...	Jeremy
Heather Ashleigh	...	Shell
Jennifer Echols	...	Rita
Cesar Flores	...	Hispanic Kid (as Cesar D. Flores)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual content, language and drug use.

Runtime:

Japan:112 min | USA:114 min | Argentina:114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:11 | France:-12 | Ireland:15A | USA:R | Norway:15 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Element Films

Trivia:

The $8 million budget was financed by a wealthy producer-financier, Sam Nazarian of Element Films.

Goofs:

Factual errors: While Harlan is teaching Lonnie to shoot, he tells the boy that the design of the Colt Peacemaker revolver has never changed since the gun first came out in 1873. In actuality, the Peacemaker underwent several significant changes in the late 1800s. These included a re-designed base pin retainer, an updated ejector rod, and a switch from wood to hard rubber as the standard grip material.

Quotes:

Harlan: I've tried living down in the valley again, really tried this time. Walked up and down it looking for one open face, but most people I've meet hardly seem like human beings to me anymore.

Movie Connections:

References Deliverance (1972)

Soundtrack:

Salsa Latina

Excellent story, excellent acting

For those favoring character-driven films, this is a must-see. The performances are all top-notch: Norton is excellent as always, and Wood's character Tobe is perhaps the best realization of a teen ever committed to film. Also, Rory Culkin is a revelation--his lost moppet is the sympathetic center of the film, and he imbues it with genuine soul.

Much of the film's success is owed to the director, David Jacobson. Judging from this film, he is a more poetic version of a 1970s Scorsese. That may sound like hyperbole, but his take on the human condition and its longing for connection is graceful, daring, and incisive.