Nonureva Really Surprised!

Limerculer A waste of 90 minutes of my life

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

highdesert420-685-360885 (No spoilers) Pretty simple and somewhat predictable story, could be summed up in a couple sentences. Ed Norton is fantastic as always, Evan Rachel Wood is always good too. Supporting cast are great actors, but minimally featured, with the focus mostly on the main actors, especially Ed Norton's character. The scenery is beautifully filmed, and the camera work is top notch. For such a simple movie with a small cast, it just works. Definitely worth a watch. One of Ed Norton's lesser known features.

skrobdell *** This review contains spoilers***IMDb's database on this movie lists as "goofs", continuity relating to the Edward Norton's beard, which makes drastic changes during the film's final scenes. Ranging from a heavy five-a- clock shadow to a Village People-type cowboy goatee, the beard completely disappears by the finale. (This in a climactic pursuit that would present a problem for any shaver.) Rather like the uncertainty of the star's beard the whole movie's focus makes startling changes as you view. These changes stretch from the potential portrayal of a Cowboy Rom-Com plot, to a potentially "mad killer in your midst" horror scenario. This is all played alongside a vague portrayal to an end of the cowboy dream, as a result of the incursion of modern day technologies. The cowboy rides his horse along some high ridge and in the background looms up an electricity pylon. Additionally, gridlocked six lane freeways hint more heavily that Wild West ways are certainly obsolete. These scenes succeed in making the hero a huge anomaly in the contemporary milieu he is portrayed living in. Add a Father, of his misunderstood teenage girlfriend, who is a hard denigrating, foul-mouthed collector of guns and these themes succeed in creating an eclectic mix of attitudes. These characters, and more, have to be continually deciphered as the movie unfolds. Is it really clear what is intended? Should we side with Father as the paternal protector of his young susceptible nubile, daughter? Or, with the wonderful pastiche of the Marlboro Cowboy in all his glory; a portrayal, which is well and truly discarded when the cowboy expertly gun-slings a bullet into his lover's stomach. This continual change of direction during this movie creates a continuous rhythm of ambiguity and conflict. Do we plump for the young earnest male lover, or the concerned father, or even the rights of the beautiful female focus for their protection. As soon as we decide the story makes us change our mind. This style continues right to the end of the movie. Having proved to be a man who has serious problems coping with reality, the two members of the family who were affected most by the faded cowboy ideal, cast his gunslinger ashes into the romantic Wild West winds. When you leave the film theatre you have every right to question the sense of this last scene. And like the rest of the film you will have had trouble deciding on anyone's rightful position and where your loyalties lie. If this is intentional then the Director has succeeded admirably in taking the viewer on a roller-coaster of deceitful signals. If not, then the film lacked a cohesive plot and focus in favour of a less ambiguous theme. (This would have made the film far less interesting.) What type of beard should the film wear?

afa86 the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb.the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb.the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb.the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb. the plot description- " the project revolves around a delusional man who believes he's a cowboy "- is such a spoiler. hide it from haven't-seen readers. STOP READING THIS TEXT, THE REST IS JUSTA COPY, SO IT COULD BE Received BY YOU PEOPLE AT IMDb.

Mr_PCM What starts out as a gentle country yarn, inoffensive and mildly enjoyable romantic tale changes pace as Edward Norton's initially charming Harlan gradually reveals more about himself and things take a turn for the sinister, as the film gradually changes from a southern romance to a modern wild western.An amiable rancher (Norton) wanders into town and charms a young girl (Evan Rachel Wood), seemingly rescuing her from a dead-end existence with her bad-tempered father with a whirlwind romance, but it gradually becomes apparent that there is more to this cowboy than meets the eye.Edward Norton – a real chameleon actor (with changing facial hair to match) playing a country hick, accent slightly dodgy but maybe because he's merely trying to act the part without worrying about the accent. He certainly makes it appear effortless to make all the nuanced little adjustments as we learn more about Harlan. However, with too many small changes it means we are never sure exactly where Harlan is coming from, and what seemed like a good performance from Norton gradually becomes confused. Evan Rachel Wood is likable without ever really having a great deal to do other than bat her eyelids at Norton.Down in the Valley strikes as a slightly uneven tale due to its change of pace, and by never really making the protagonist's motives clear the audience's sympathies for the characters remain uncertain. Should we like this drifter or not? Even after a dramatic turn of events it remains unclear. This ambiguity is to the film's detriment, as if the writer could not make up their mind what kind of story they wanted to tell and settled for somewhat of a hotch-potch. Had the film remained one or the other it might have been a solid film, but as it is what we are left with is something of a mess. Fans of old-fashioned romance will enjoy a portion of the film but will be put off by the darkening tone. Completist fans of Norton aside (or fans of the lush scenery of the San Fernando valley), give this a miss.