in what be easily the best film of the year thus far and multi talented up and come oscar win writer or director paul haggis ( crash and flag of our father and million dollar baby ) and bring u this intense and intelligent and subtle drama wrap around a murder mystery . in what may be his fine performance yet and underrated actor tommy lee jones play an old and grizzled and retired military police sergeant who receive word his young son ( jonathon tucker hostage and the texas chainsaw massacre ) be miss after be back in the state from fight in iraq just two day ago . jones high tail it to the military base to get answer and but what he end up discover be his son dismember body . with the help of a smarty young female police detective ( charlize theron ) and jones start unravel the truth behind his son death . the film although write and direct by paul haggis doesn not feel like a paul haggis film . million dollar baby and which he write and crash and flag of our father be all showy film and but in the valley of elah be remarkably subtle . by down play the emotion of the actor and haggis achieves something far more powerful than if he have go the easy melodramatic route most film center around our current conflict in iraq do . haggis direct skill have improve and and his screenplay feature exceptional dialogue . the acting be all top notch . charlize theron be excellent in her role and and susan sarandon do the most she can with a tiny role a jones wife . the rest of the cast be solid and but it jones who steal the show with a complex and brooding and brilliant performance that should absolutely earn him a best actor academy award nomination come oscar time . all in all and in the valley of elah be great minus a few flaw . many people say the film be too heavy hand and and i have to agree . the end be the bad part of the movie and not because of the writing or directing or act aspect . all three of those component be powerful and moving and the only thing that stunk about the end be the song choice . we get a heart wrenching and relevant message at the end to the tune of f__cking whiny pro america country music . ehh and what the use in complain about these small detail . for the most part and in the valley of elah be an outstanding motion picture that might be on a couple of top 10 list come the end of the year . you do not want to miss it . grade represent a .