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Down in the Valley

Play trailer Poster for Down in the Valley R 2005 1h 54m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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53% Tomatometer 100 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
On a trip to the beach, a teenage girl named Tobe meets a charismatic stranger named Harlan, who dresses like a cowboy and claims to be a former ranch hand. The pair feel an instant attraction and begin a relationship, but her father, a lawman, is suspicious of her lover.
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Down in the Valley

Down in the Valley

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The premise of Old West clashing with modern suburbia is fresh and initially intriguing, but the second act degenerates into a clumsy jumble of events which strain credibility.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Dec 18, 2006
Both actors work hard to give this disturbing crime story some flavor and substance, but the narrative is overextended and poorly organized. Go to Full Review
Dave Calhoun Time Out Jun 24, 2006
Strange but compelling. Go to Full Review
Marrit Ingman Austin Chronicle Jun 24, 2006
2.5/5
There's no depth to the story, and as the thrills start to kick in, Down in the Valley becomes a B-movie - less a modern epic Western than a two-reel oater with a cheap cliffhanger. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Kiefer Sacramento News & Review Aug 7, 2008
3/5
Christopher Campbell Cinematical Sep 18, 2007
4/5
Jacobson examines the life and death of the western and its incompatibility with the youth of today ... a fascinating, yet slightly off-balance, mix of tribute and scrutiny. Go to Full Review
Anton Bitel Film4 Jun 13, 2007
3.5/5
The values of past and present collide in this beautifully shot, finely acted reexamination of the American Dream. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Andy F @RT67542564 1 day ago I wish wish the wildly talent-fat young Norton would have simply been able to do nothing but produce roles out of him, for those 25 precious years of a beautiful GOOD big-movie actor like he is, but the somehow organic lethargy that happened in his career after ludicrously wonderful work in AmericanX, well, hppened. This movie is just full of that Edward and the other actors; It's not your fault, you're in this noise at all. Morse CAN'T do bad and Evan is good and how can anybody criticize Bruce Dern once he bothers to come to the set? Yeah, EW is a 1/4 -tragic guy for me although I pray this is not at all real for him and that it's just a rotten tomato from my movie critic Orchard. Morse, Woods and Norton; the 3 great white vegetarian sharks, I'm throwing my lycopen-rich super ripe tomatoes for their food and if one lands somewhere else I hope it fells the head lighting crane in the Set of the View and all their lights finally get out. I'll get me coat. See more David W @RT37874054 May 19, 2026 If you like clear good guys vs. bad guys, this post-modern tragic love story isn't for you. Edward Norton is, of course, a great actor, but the plot does not rise to his level. Perhaps the star-crossed lovers was his reason for lending his talent to this all-too-real and disappointing look at the unfortunate twists of modern reality. Life is messy and complicated, but we usually go to the theater to get a break from that. Just picture George from "It's a Wonderful Life", when he reaches his lowest point, instead of jumping off a bridge, he shoots a few guys, his wife, and then ends up being gunned down by his wife's bully-father. There you go. Now you don't need to watch this movie. See more mark g @Mark_Alan_G. Jul 8, 2024 Strong cast and direction. Throw in some great imagery of the valley and really good music, you got a strong film. I really got in to this film and enjoyed it immensely. See more Georgan G @RT98616417 Jun 2, 2024 The sad story of a troubled young man who lives in a fantasy. Outwardly, he does only loving things, but he is unable to control his impulses. Finally, his inner life collides with reality. See more Steve D @RT35616104 Feb 1, 2024 Strong cast and nothing else. See more Terry S @RT84781810 Oct 20, 2023 Well-filmed and acted but, for me at least, ultimately disturbing and depressing. See more Read all reviews
Down in the Valley

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis On a trip to the beach, a teenage girl named Tobe meets a charismatic stranger named Harlan, who dresses like a cowboy and claims to be a former ranch hand. The pair feel an instant attraction and begin a relationship, but her father, a lawman, is suspicious of her lover.
Director
David Jacobson
Producer
Edward Norton, Adam Rosenfelt, Holly Wiersma
Screenwriter
David Jacobson
Production Co
Element Films
Rating
R (Language|Drug Use|Sexual Content|Violence)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
May 5, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 11, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$568.7K
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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