Filmography | In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Character Det. Emily Sanders
Directed By Paul Haggis
Written By Paul Haggis (screenplay), Mark Boal (story)
Cast Tommy Lee Jones, Jonathan Tucker, Susan Sarandon
Genre Drama, War
MPAA Rating R (for violent and disturbing content, language and some sexuality/nudity)
Official Synopsis
On his first weekend back after serving in Iraq, Mike Deerfield (Jonathan Tucker) goes missing and is reported AWOL. When Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), a former military PI and his wife Joan (Susan Sarandon) get the phone call with the disturbing news, Hank sets out to search for their son. Emily Sanders (Charlize Theron), a New Mexico police detective in the jurisdiction where Mike was last seen, reluctantly helps him in his search. As the evidence grows, her missing person's case begins to look more and more like foul play, and soon Sanders finds herself in a fight with the military brass as she and Hank struggle to keep control of the investigation. But when the truth about Mike's time in Iraq finally begins to emerge, Hank's entire world is challenged and he's forced to reevaluate long-held beliefs to solve the mystery behind his son's disappearance.
Trivia & Facts
The Valley of Elah was the location where the Israelites camped during the famous biblical battle between David and Goliath.
The idea of the film came about after Paul Haggis read an article from Playboy Magazine entitled "Death and Dishonor" written by Mark Boal which details the murder of a young Army enlisted man just home from who was stationed in Ft. Benning, Georgia, the investigation mounted by his father following his disappearance, and the toll of combat on three platoon mates accused of the murder.
Quotes from Charlize
"No matter how you feel about the war or where your stance is politically, the one thing you can't deny is that we're sending young boys and girls out there who experience a lot of trauma. To bring them home, throw them back into society and expect them to function as normal human beings is asking a lot of them. It's a harsh reality and we really haven't been very honest about it."
"I thought it would be really fascinating to go through some kind of working experience with him (Paul Haggis) never knowing that he would actually offer me this part.
"I like that Paul really celebrated that she's incredibly flawed and that she doesn't get everything right all the time." ("she" refers to her character, Emily Sanders)
"She becomes emotionally involved in the case, and the job begins to affect her in a much more personal way than anything she's done previously. I really liked that. ("she" refers to her character, Emily Sanders)
Quotes from Others on Charlize
"She's one of a very few of these wonderful actresses who can morph from one role to the next." - Paul Haggis
"The role is that of a small town detective, so I didn't want someone who looked like a glamorous Hollywood star. And while Charlize is that, she also has the ability to completely disappear into a role, and that's what she did here." - Paul Haggis
Quotes from Others on the Film
"I said to them, anything that you know will never be made, that's what I want." - Paul Haggis
"It's a very tragic story and I really wanted to do this." - Paul Haggis
"Back in 2003 it was a story no one wanted to hear, so it would have been very difficult to make this without his (Clint Eastwood) support." - Paul Haggis
"Whether you're for or against the war, we need to face what's happening to the brave men and women we're sending there. I wanted to tell the story of good people who have to make terrible decisions." - Paul Haggis
"It's a powerful tale. When you read the article you realize it's the platform to approach a subject that could resonate with everybody. What's the right thing to do for justice? What do we do to take care of ourselves? What does everybody do to take care of the family?" - Laurence Becsey
"We may understand the physical sacrifices but we're not always really prepared for the emotional and psycholgical cost." - Laurence Becsey
"You'd have to say that it concerns itself with what a war can do to people. I also think it indicates that blind, mindless patriotism is very dangerous." - Tommy Lee Jones
