Death valley

Elah offers a Bible-referenced dissent to the Iraq War | Sam Thielman

At roughly 15-minute intervals during In the Valley of Elah, director Paul Haggis points the camera at the eyes of Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones) and nearly blinds his audience. Hank's hardships rip worry lines into his face with such ferocity that he becomes hard to look at. When he bows his head to pray, you can't help but feel relief that the poor guy at least talks to someone.

Hank is a Tennessee native and a Vietnam veteran with that same thick accent that Hollywood attributes to everyone who's ever been to church. What's surprising about the film is how much director Haggis seems to like Hank. When Hank prays, the child at the table next to him copies his movements. When Hank sees the American flag flown upside-down by an El Salvadoran immigrant who doesn't know any better, we cringe with him.