Down in the Valley

This movie has essentially one major flaw, which in the opinion of this viewer is a fatal flaw. It is not a flaw concerning plot holes or anything of that ilk, in fact it is a much more serious flaw than a simple 'goof.' The problem lies with the fact that the viewer does not care for any of the characters. There is no-one he can empathise with, no-one he can say he is on the side of. They are all just simply annoying. The voice over which we hear on occasions is more annoying than anything else. Norton and Morse do there best with the material, and both show they have some acting skills, but do we actually care about either character? We don't and so we watch the movie come to what is a fairly inevitable conclusion without much though for them at all. This one is pretty bad.

I thought this movie was fantastic!! I couldn't predict what would happen, and it was like watching a great book where you can't wait to turn the page, without having to get my fingers out of the popcorn. But really I forgot all about the popcorn. The acting was great, the music was captivating and really heightened the emotions. I felt so much for Evan Rachel Wood's character and Rory Culkin. But I also reeaally enjoyed Edward Norton's performance. I'd never heard of this director before, but I really liked how this film moved along and it looked great. And, since I live in Los Angeles, it was fun to see such familiar locations. I really recommend this film for people who like substance, not just action. It's not one for the kids obviously, but if you liked any of the Cohen Brothers movies, or Fight Club, or Garden State, you'll most likely enjoy Down In The Valley. I did!!

Chances are, you'll end up seeing it anyway. Norton chooses his projects carefully, and they stick around, years later, in DVD. The reason is that they always shake you, if your mind doesn't back out and close itself off to the unexpected. In this case, he's magnetic all the way through, and the storyline is riveting, and fascinatingly audacious. To avoid any spoiler, i'll leave it at that... but you must see it. Evan Rachel Woods is perfect, and the relationship between them two is an ideal chemistry. I can't think of a moment where I stopped caring for the characters and wondering who was right or wrong... It would be a shame if people traded that experience for the comfort of watching M:I 3, and the movie got ignored during its theatrical release. It's a rare, full bodied experience that should be explored.

Just caught "Down in the Valley" by David Jacobson (who also wrote) at the cinema and was completely knocked out. An achingly beautiful & melancholy film, tender as an open wound and with a Edward Norton in, I think, his finest role (he also produced, with the help of the Sundance Foundation) as he veers towards the void, like an innocent Travis Bickle. He plays a delusional drifter who thinks he's a cowboy in the modern day San Fernando Valley, who falls for the beautiful young daughter (great performance Evan Rachel Wood) of David Morse (always consistent). Great script with some wonderful lines + a nice cameo role from Bruce Dern...this film left some indelible mark - one of the best I've seen in some time. Highly recommended. Oh, fantastic music, also....

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 Wow Edward Norton rocks the screen again playing a cowboy with a very layered and subtle performance. It is beautifully shot and the four main characters are original and yet painfully familiar in their alienation, anger, and despair. The character played by Rory Culkin, "Twig", says very little throughout the film and yet he conveys a sense of yearning and loneliness almost too painful to bare. But even he undergoes an unexpected transformation by the end of the film. The lead is a beautiful creature on the screen. Her relationship with the Cowboy seemed unlikely at first and then became completely believable, especially in the bathtub scene. If you love independent you really will enjoy the artistic quality of this film. There are also several scenes that border on surrealism. This film will leave you thinking and wondering about your life, isn't that what we always would hope for after leaving the movies. My vote is 8 out of 10.