Down in the Valley

Ed Norton carries himself well and always creates a respectable character. It could have played up the tension a little more, or perhaps cast an actress that created a better chemistry with Norton. Its neither here or nor there, just kinda like this movie was. Enjoyable while it was on the screen bur acter the film is over, its time for a a snack and then bed without a second thought. It's not a dud, just definitely not a game changer either.

Edward Norton is, as usual, fantastic. David Mores is entirely believable as well. A strange, yet compelling story.

Rather a mess. While I usually like quiet little movies, this one just doesn't cut it. There is hardly a character that is, as written, clearly delineated, leaving some decent actors flapping in the wind, trying to figure out what to do. Camera work and editing are amateurish at best. The chase scenes are stupid and confused. When your main character is basically mentally ill, you have to step up your writing game instead of stringing together a bunch of clichés and platitudes.

This movie coulda been fire if it didn't take the stupid crazy turn.

The director/author mixed one too many genres together. A bored, rebellious girl (Wood) was okay, but Norton was holding himself. Morse and Dern acted parts they always do.

With a very strong cast, a nice natural style and an interesting character as its premise, this film could have succeeded quite nicely as a simple suburban character drama. But no, beyond halfway, writer/director Jacobson loses his senses and decides to go somewhere very different. Somewhere misjudged, and far outside his comfort zone. A promising beginning absolutely ruined by its second half. But Wood, Morse, Norton & Culkin all earn kudos for their acting.

"An entrancingly mournful film that reveals the detrimentally hamfisted influence of the Sundance Institute." - Nick Schager

I've already seen several movies of E.Norton, who plays again a nutcase, which he can play perfectly well. A movie simular to Taxi Driver or Falling Down, but not so very good this time.

An interesting plot, but I felt the tension could have been handled a bit better than it was. Also, I felt more/less sympathy should have been built for Harlan, depending on what the director wanted...it was hard to tell. Regardless, Norton was great as always, and Rachel Wood did a good job as well.

I hate you Evan Rachel Wood! This movie isn't any good and she's worse.

A confused, disillusioned and creepy mess.

A grim little movie. The film has moments of recognizable honesty in the ways relationships can begin and end on a whim, and how they can be elevated to unreasonable heights by the people immersed in them. Overall, it's one of those puttering indies without much of a story to tell. Norton does decent work, but it's more gratifying to watch Evan Rachel Wood stretch her acting muscles and David Morse (as Wood's father) give another demonstration on the art of concentrated underplaying.

A complete mess of unlikely events. It felt rushed and uninspired. Though Norton gives everything to the role, it doesn't help much with lack of developed characters. Unfortunately, not even Wood could save this movie.

The pace set by the movie seems to slow down like a battery slowly losing power. A sleep inducing soundtrack mixed with dry filming make it almost impossible to stay awake for. I felt no sense of urgency coming from the father and barely felt the delusional mindset of Harlan. Acting was great, but everything else was a bore.

Pretty good story.