Down in the Valley
Encyclopedia
Down in the Valley is a movie starring Edward Norton
, Evan Rachel Wood
, David Morse
and Rory Culkin
. The film made its debut in the Un Certain Regard
section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
on May 13, and made its limited theatrical release in North America
in May 2006.
of Los Angeles, the film begins with rebellious teenager October "Tobe" (Wood
), going for a walk with her younger brother, Lonnie (Culkin
). The next day, Tobe goes to the beach with friends and when they stop for gasoline they are assisted by Harlan (Norton
), a young man, though much older than Tobe - who affects a folksy, cowboy style. Tobe invites much-older Harlan to the beach. He accepts, and while at the beach, they share a passionate kiss. Afterwards, Tobe goes to his house and engages in sexual activities with Harlan. He then decides to take her on a real date which involves him and Tobe taking Lonnie to get something to eat. Later on that night they go on their "real" date dancing then later meeting up with Tobe's friends for another party. That is when he takes drugs under the influence of Tobe. She returns home the next day; having returned home long after she was expected, her father becomes enraged and she retreats to her room. He attempts to talk with her, and when she refuses to open the door, he pounds on the door and leaves visible damage.
Tobe continues to see Harlan. Her father's rage increases, and he manages to shatter her bedroom window. The romantically involved couple ride a horse that supposedly belongs to one of Harlan's friends named Charlie. Upon returning, Charlie (Bruce Dern
) claims he has never met Harlan and that the horse was stolen. The couple are held in police custody until Wade comes to pick up Tobe. She tells Harlan that they should no longer see each other. Harlan, however, is persistent. He takes out Lonnie to shoot guns without Wade's permission and is confronted by Lonnie's father, who is armed, threatening Harlan to leave his children alone.
Harlan is evicted from his apartment after shooting at his reflection in a mirror, imagining a Wild West style "shoot-out" scene. It is made clear at this point that he is, by some degree, mentally unstable or delusional. After an awkward incident at a local synagogue, where he is abruptly ushered out, 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 throughout the movie after taking multiple Jewish memorabilia, and the contents of a box, in a closet, inscribed with his name. He breaks into Tobe's house and packs a bag so they can run away. When Tobe comes home to find him, she is dumbfounded, happy to see him at first, but slowly realizes he is deranged and tells him she doesn't want to leave her family and that he should go. At that point, Harlan shoots her in the stomach, whether intentionally or by misfiring it is not clear.
When Tobe's father returns home to find Tobe alone on her bed, barely alive, he suspects Harlan, 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, who is covered in Tobe's blood, then shoots himself in the side to conceal Tobe's blood and also make it look like it was Wade who had shot Tobe and then shot at him. He finds Lonnie and talks him into going away. He convinces Lonnie that it was really Wade who shot Tobe, and that Harlan was wounded while trying to stop him. Tobe regains consciousness at the hospital and Wade realizes that Lonnie has been taken by Harlan. He pursues them. At night while Harlan and Lonnie are by a fire, Wade, Charlie and a detective named Sheridan arrive. Harlan shoots Charlie before riding off with Lonnie.
They stumble upon a Western motion picture set where filming has just begun. Wade and Sheridan arrive with two more cops. A shootout ensues in which Harlan guns down detective Sheridan and one of the cops. Harlan and Lonnie escape to a housing development under construction, where Wade finds them and another shootout ensues. Wade shoots Harlan to death to the horror of Lonnie.
Tobe and Lonnie (presumably a month or so later) are driven by Wade to a place where Tobe and Harlan had a pleasant day. Tobe is holding a box that contains her former lover's ashes. Her brother asks her what they should say about him. She replies, "Don't say anything, just think it," and scatters the ashes.
. 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.
Edward Norton
Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and producer. In 1996, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor...
, Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several television series, including American Gothic and Once and Again...
, David Morse
David Morse (actor)
David Bowditch Morse is an American stage, television, and film actor. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988...
and Rory Culkin
Rory Culkin
Rory Hugh Culkin is an American actor and is the younger brother of actors Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin.-Personal life:...
. The film made its debut in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
2005 Cannes Film Festival
The 2005 Cannes Film Festival started on May 11 and ran until May 22. Twenty movies from 13 countries were selected to compete. The awards were announced on May 21...
on May 13, and made its limited theatrical release in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in May 2006.
Plot
Set in modern-day San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
of Los Angeles, the film begins with rebellious teenager October "Tobe" (Wood
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several television series, including American Gothic and Once and Again...
), going for a walk with her younger brother, Lonnie (Culkin
Rory Culkin
Rory Hugh Culkin is an American actor and is the younger brother of actors Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin.-Personal life:...
). The next day, Tobe goes to the beach with friends and when they stop for gasoline they are assisted by Harlan (Norton
Edward Norton
Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and producer. In 1996, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor...
), a young man, though much older than Tobe - who affects a folksy, cowboy style. Tobe invites much-older Harlan to the beach. He accepts, and while at the beach, they share a passionate kiss. Afterwards, Tobe goes to his house and engages in sexual activities with Harlan. He then decides to take her on a real date which involves him and Tobe taking Lonnie to get something to eat. Later on that night they go on their "real" date dancing then later meeting up with Tobe's friends for another party. That is when he takes drugs under the influence of Tobe. She returns home the next day; having returned home long after she was expected, her father becomes enraged and she retreats to her room. He attempts to talk with her, and when she refuses to open the door, he pounds on the door and leaves visible damage.
Tobe continues to see Harlan. Her father's rage increases, and he manages to shatter her bedroom window. The romantically involved couple ride a horse that supposedly belongs to one of Harlan's friends named Charlie. Upon returning, Charlie (Bruce Dern
Bruce Dern
Bruce MacLeish Dern is an American film actor. He also appeared as a guest star in numerous television shows. He frequently takes roles as a character actor, often playing unstable and villainous characters...
) claims he has never met Harlan and that the horse was stolen. The couple are held in police custody until Wade comes to pick up Tobe. She tells Harlan that they should no longer see each other. Harlan, however, is persistent. He takes out Lonnie to shoot guns without Wade's permission and is confronted by Lonnie's father, who is armed, threatening Harlan to leave his children alone.
Harlan is evicted from his apartment after shooting at his reflection in a mirror, imagining a Wild West style "shoot-out" scene. It is made clear at this point that he is, by some degree, mentally unstable or delusional. After an awkward incident at a local synagogue, where he is abruptly ushered out, 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 throughout the movie after taking multiple Jewish memorabilia, and the contents of a box, in a closet, inscribed with his name. He breaks into Tobe's house and packs a bag so they can run away. When Tobe comes home to find him, she is dumbfounded, happy to see him at first, but slowly realizes he is deranged and tells him she doesn't want to leave her family and that he should go. At that point, Harlan shoots her in the stomach, whether intentionally or by misfiring it is not clear.
When Tobe's father returns home to find Tobe alone on her bed, barely alive, he suspects Harlan, who has failed an attempt at calling 911
911
Year 911 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar.-Africa:* Rebellion of the Kutama Berbers against the Fatimid Caliphate...
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, who is covered in Tobe's blood, then shoots himself in the side to conceal Tobe's blood and also make it look like it was Wade who had shot Tobe and then shot at him. He finds Lonnie and talks him into going away. He convinces Lonnie that it was really Wade who shot Tobe, and that Harlan was wounded while trying to stop him. Tobe regains consciousness at the hospital and Wade realizes that Lonnie has been taken by Harlan. He pursues them. At night while Harlan and Lonnie are by a fire, Wade, Charlie and a detective named Sheridan arrive. Harlan shoots Charlie before riding off with Lonnie.
They stumble upon a Western motion picture set where filming has just begun. Wade and Sheridan arrive with two more cops. A shootout ensues in which Harlan guns down detective Sheridan and one of the cops. Harlan and Lonnie escape to a housing development under construction, where Wade finds them and another shootout ensues. Wade shoots Harlan to death to the horror of Lonnie.
Tobe and Lonnie (presumably a month or so later) are driven by Wade to a place where Tobe and Harlan had a pleasant day. Tobe is holding a box that contains her former lover's ashes. Her brother asks her what they should say about him. She replies, "Don't say anything, just think it," and scatters the ashes.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Edward Norton Edward Norton Edward Harrison Norton is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and producer. In 1996, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor... |
Harlan Fairfax Curruthers |
| Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several television series, including American Gothic and Once and Again... |
October (Tobe) |
| David Morse David Morse (actor) David Bowditch Morse is an American stage, television, and film actor. He first came to national attention as Dr. Jack Morrison in the medical drama St. Elsewhere from 1982 to 1988... |
Wade |
| Rory Culkin Rory Culkin Rory Hugh Culkin is an American actor and is the younger brother of actors Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin.-Personal life:... |
Lonnie (Twig) |
| Bruce Dern Bruce Dern Bruce MacLeish Dern is an American film actor. He also appeared as a guest star in numerous television shows. He frequently takes roles as a character actor, often playing unstable and villainous characters... |
Charlie |
| John Diehl | Steve |
| Geoffrey Lewis | Sheridan |
| Elizabeth Peña Elizabeth Peña Elizabeth Peña is an American actress and the daughter of a theater-company co-founder, who has also compiled experience as a television director in her own right.-Early life:... |
Gale |
| Kat Dennings Kat Dennings Katherine Litwack , better known by the stage name Kat Dennings, is an American actress. Emerging with a role in an episode of the HBO dramedy series Sex and the City, Dennings has since appeared in the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Big Momma's House 2, Charlie Bartlett, Raise Your Voice, The House... |
April |
| Hunter Parrish Hunter Parrish Hunter Parrish is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing Silas Botwin in Showtime's television series Weeds.-Personal life:... |
Kris |
| Aviva Aviva (actress) Aviva is an American actress known best for her roles in the hit Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen comedy, Superbad; as young Shannon Gibbs, the first wife of Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, in flashbacks on the US TV drama NCIS; and as Mandy, the underage drunk girlfriend of Ken Marino on "Party... |
Sherri |
| Aaron Fors | Jeremy |
Writing
Writer David Jacobson was inspired to write this film by his childhood in the San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. 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
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 American Western film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman...
, 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.