Two Days In The Valley

John Herzfeld, USA 1996, 100 minutes

One of the overlooked films of 1996, 2 Days in the Valley cuts through post-Tarantino pretentiousness and delivers a refreshingly amoral look at life in LA. It's impossible to really describe the plot suffice to say that if you can conjure up an image of a film not unlike Robert Altman's Short Cuts but starring two hitmen, some money, a cheating wife, a failed writer/director about to commit suicide and some even stranger characters you're close. This is slightly more violent but at the same time more optimistic in tone and thus, more enjoyable.

It's an assured debut from writer/director John Herzfeld who gives his actors plenty to get their teeth into. As an actor himself, Herzfeld knows how to get the best out of his ensemble cast which includes heavyweights such as Danny Aiello as well as cutesy actors trying to shed their image (James Spader, as a timeobsessed psycho and the now ubiquitous Teri Hatcher as a plotting ex-wife). However it is the equally ubiquitous, if slightly less high profile, Glenne Headly who excels in her role as a put upon minion, nicely underplaying a role that could have slipped into stereotype. There are also unflashy cameos from the likes of Keith Carradine and Lawrence Tierney to add to the mix.

In this jungle of characters, Herzfeld manages to create several focused, isolated clearings where tenderness and salvation still survive. In a way, it's a battle for survival for the small fry, but it's still ultimately refreshing to see the downtrodden get their day. The director resists the temptation to tie everything off too neatly so don't be surprised if there are a few ragged edges at the end. This however just adds to the character of a beautifully observed film which relishes little background details, ultimately making it so satisfying to watch.

Review by Neil Chue Hong
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98