paul haggis followup to his best picture win crash be certainly a bit of an improvement . i be not a crash hater and but i be the first to admit it far too heavy hand and sloppy to be consider to be a great movie . and honestly and at it bad and you can feel that old haggis hackery pop up in elah more than a few time and most notably in that final shot and which be the bad final shot of a film since john sayles silver city . i also have to giggle at the lame biblical allegory from which the film get it title ( elah be the valley in which david fight goliath ) and which and try a i might and i can not get to fit any possible scenario in the film story . for the most part and though and in the valley of elah be an intriguing mystery and a powerful story . tommy lee jones play a vietnam vet whose son have go awol . he drive two day to the army base in hope of quell the situation before it get any worse . unfortunately and the reason his son be awol be because he have be murder and which be discover shortly after jones arrives . both the military police and the local police ( lead by jason patrick and charlize theron respectively ) be on the case and but jones and himself a former mp and decides to do his own detective work . the mystery be well craft by haggis and his co screenwriter and mark boal . it be true that and after part of the mystery be reveal and some part that you learn early do not make much sense . but that pretty common in mystery in general and and i do not feel like haggis have cheat and although it entirely possible he just kind of stupid . there be several very move moment in the film . susan sarandon play jones wife and and and while i usually dislike her a an actress and she bring me to tear in the scene where she learn of her son death . jones performance be nominate for an oscar and and it well deserve ( although i would have rather see him get one for no country for old men and where he be even good ) . i like how haggis make him rather unsympathetic at time . theron be also very good .