Down in the Valley

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For the Squeeze song, see Down in the Valley (song).

For the Kurt Weill opera, see Down in the Valley (opera).

Down in the Valley
Image:Downinthevalley-poster.jpg
Directed by	David Jacobson
Produced by	David Jacobson Stavros Merjos Bill Migliore Edward Norton Adam Rosenfelt Holly Wiersma
Written by	David Jacobson
Starring	Edward Norton Evan Rachel Wood David Morse Rory Culkin
Music by	Peter Salett
Distributed by	ThinkFilm
Release date(s)	May 13, 2005 (Cannes Film Festival) May 2006 (limited release)
Running time	125 min.
Language	English
Budget	$8,000,000 US
IMDb profile

Down in the Valley is a movie starring Edward Norton, Evan Rachel Wood, David Morse and Rory Culkin. The film made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival on May 13, 2005, and made its limited theatrical release in North America in May 2006.

1 Plot Summary
2 Cast
3 Writing
4 External links

[edit] Plot Summary

Set in modern-day San Fernando Valley, California, the film begins with rebellious teenager Tobe (Wood) going out for a walk with her younger brother, Lonnie (Culkin). It is revealed that thirteen-year-old Lonnie is afraid of the dark and frequently spends the night in Tobe's room (much to the chagrin of their father, Wade (Morse)). The next day, Tobe goes to the beach with some friends. On the way the group of teens stop at a convenience mart to put gasoline in the car. They are assisted by Harlan (Norton). Tobe is intrigued by middle-aged Harlan, and invites him along to the beach with her and her friends. He accepts, and while at the beach they share a passionate kiss. Tobe returns to his house and engages in sexual activities with Harlan. She returns home the next day, and her unhappy father elbows a hole in her door out of anger. Tobe continues to see Harlan, despite constant nagging from her father to stop. Her father's rage increases, and he manages to shatter her bedroom window. The romantically-involved couple go out on a horse that supposedly belongs to one of Harlan's friends named "Charlie." Upon returning, "Charlie" claims that he has never met Harlan and that the horse was stolen. The couple are taken into police custody, only to be released when Wade comes to pick Tobe up. Wade continues to be angered, and Tobe finally tells Harlan that they should no longer see each other. Harlan, however, is persistent in that he takes Lonnie out to shoot guns without Wade's permission and is confronted by Lonnie's father, who is bearing a gun. Harlan is evicted from his apartment after shooting his reflection in in a mirror, creating loud fictional "shoot-out" scenes, and participating in other erratic activities. It is unclear whether or not he is mentally stable.

He breaks into, presumably, his father or foster father's house, who is revealed to be a Hasidic Jew. He leaves the letter he has been narrating through the movie after taking multiple Menorahs, and the contents of a box, in a closet, inscribed with his name. He breaks into Tobe's house and packs a bag for her so they can run away. She returns home and tells Harlan she doesn't want to run away, he then shoots her in the abdomen. This was unintentional as it seemed he drew his gun almost instinctively as if Tobe's refusal was a threat. Her father returns home right then to find Tobe alone on her bed, barely breathing. He suspects Harlan immediately, who has failed an attempt at calling 911 and run away. Wade rushes his wounded daughter to the hospital, where she is attached to a breathing machine and remains in a coma. Harlan (After shooting himself in the side out of grief) finds Lonnie (who he has nicknamed 'Twig' for his small appearance) and talks Lonnie into going away with him. He also convinces Lonnie that it was really Wade who shot Tobe, and Harlan was wounded while trying to stop him. Tobe regains consciousness at the hospital and Wade realizes that Lonnie has been taken by Harlan and purses the two (who are accompanied by "Charlie"'s horse from earlier in the film. Wade discovers that Harlan is in fact insane, convinced he is a cowboy. At night while Harlan and Lonnie are by a fire, Wade, "Charlie", and a detective named Sheridan attack Harlan. Harlan shoots "Charlie" down before riding off with Lonnie. They stumble upon a western motion picture set where in the morning a movie shoot begins. Wade and Sheridan arrive with two more cops and demand that Harlan release Lonnie. A shootout ensues in which Harlan kills Sheridan and the cops, while also being shot by Wade. Harlan and Lonnie escape to a housing development, where another shootout begins between Wade and Harlan. After he is shot, Wade shoots Harlan to death to the horror of Lonnie.

Tobe and Lonnie are (presumably a month or so later) driven by Wade to the place where Tobe and Harlan had a memorable date outdoors. Tobe is holding a box that contains her lover's ashes. Her brother asks her what should be said, and she replies with, "Don't say anything. Just think it," and scatters the ashes.

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role
Edward Norton	Harlan Fairfax Curruthers
Evan Rachel Wood	October (Tobe)
David Morse	Wade
Rory Culkin	Lonnie (Twig)
Bruce Dern	Charlie
John Diehl	Steve
Geoffrey Lewis	Sheridan
Elizabeth Peña	Gale
Kat Dennings	April
Hunter Parrish	Kris
Aviva Farber	Sherri
Aaron Fors	Jeremy

[edit] Writing

Writer David Jacobson was inspired to write this film by his childhood in the San Fernando valley. He commented that there was never much to do except throw things onto the highway (which possibly inspired a deleted scene from the film titled "Don't Look"), have dirt clod fights, and spending many hot summer days at the local cinema with friends, watching the same films over and over. One favorite was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which he watched seventeen times. Jacobson also has noted that he and his sister were mild backgrounds for Tobe and Lonnie. The script was written with loose scenes, and is considered by Jacobson himself to be some of his lighter work.