The truth is that no good story is without violence. Life turns on it, drama does not exist without it, and on the big screen where life is represented in two dimensions, it is absolutely essential. There is no better tool to advance a story, explore a character than with something sudden and life-altering and born of rage/fear/desperation. Without the gunfire, the tension building to the gunfire, and the bloodshed, Down in the Valley would be one boring movie. Not to say that the characters aren't interesting, of course they are, and the pre-violence story (I am tempted to write "back-story") is indeed well-told. But there needs to be a hinge, or an apogee, a point at which everything changes, and the shooting was indeed necessary. This is the kind of movie that gets you thinking about the mechanics of writing.

Summary: A "cowboy" travels to California and falls in love with the teenaged daughter of a very protective corrections officer. There is then trouble. A white horse is locked in a garage.

Is it a good movie? It's well done in the manner of Ulee's Gold, where there is a well told story and good acting, and you feel what you are supposed to feel. The arc, well-defined, nice and neat. You get the impression that they worked hard to make everything fit into place, but a month from now I won't remember it. Down in the Valley is not striking, or shocking, or life-changing, but it is competent.

Edward Norton ... Harlan
Evan Rachel Wood ... Tobe
David Morse ... Wade
Rory Culkin ... Lonnie
Bruce Dern ... Charlie
John Diehl ... Steve

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