Review of In a Valley of Violence (2016) by Michael B — 06 Nov 2016

This is a modern telling of the age old western tale of a post civil war loaner visiting a small town run by thugs. It's fun, funny, suspense filled with with plenty of action and a great cast. So see it. But in case you need them, here are five more reasons to see it:

1. Ethan Hawk. Fantastic as Paul, the loaner with the misfortune of stopping in Denton for water and a bath on his way to Mexico with his dog. Hawk is the perfect balance of boyish vulnerability and toughness. His character is a disillusioned former union cavalryman who has abandoned his family and is possibly a deserter.

2. James Ransone. Pure Villain if he were not so charmingly funny picking a fight with Paul just to get leveled with one punch in the first act.

3. Taissa Farminga. She's beyond ADORABLE. She plays a tough, sharp witted disengaged seventeen year old who runs the hotel at the nearly abandoned silver mining town of Denton and quite pleased to wait on Paul after she's learned that he is the someone who finally put Gilly in his place.

4. John Travolta plays the US Marshall assigned to the town and is father to Gilly who asks Paul to leave town and you'd almost expect Paul to argue the point with him, but he's leaving it anyway, and it's just Classic John Travolta, playing another war veteran and the town's only real grown-up, so sure Paul was leaving anyway.

5. The dog. OMG you have to see this dog, nearly stole the show.

So anyway, against his father's wishes, Gilly seeks revenge on Paul in the cruelest of ways and makes good on the town's nickname and the movie's title. So see this movie! Run don't walk!