2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY
SYNOPSIS:
Lee Woods (James Spader) and Dosmo Pizzo (Danny Aiello) are hit
men who kill Becky Foxx's (Teri Hatcher) ex-husband, Roy (Peter
Horton), to collect on his insurance policy. Lee then shoots
Dosmo, but doesn't realise he's wearing a bulletproof vest, nor
does he realise that Becky, also in on the murder plot, forgot to
get money from her safe. Lee has to return to the house, while
Dosmo takes wealthy snob Allan Hopper (Greg Cruttwell) and his
assistant, Susan Parish (Glenne Headly), hostage while he tries
to figure out what to do next. Meanwhile vice cops Alvin Strayer
(Jeff Daniels) and Wes Taylor (Eric Stoltz) have picked up Becky
and reported the crime, and later she meets with Lee's girlfriend
and accomplice, Helga Svelgen (Charlize Theron). In a subplot
that leads back to the situation at Allan's home, his sister
Audrey Hopper (Marsha Mason) meets the suicidal Teddy Peppers
(Paul Mazursky) who wants to find his dog a home so that he can
kill himself. Eventually everyone comes together in one lst
violent scene where everything is resolved.
"Off beat, quirky and darkly comic, 2 Days in the Valley
brings together a delicious assortment of enticingly drawn
characters, so colourful they burst from the screen. John
Herzfeld’s compelling screenplay and direction is so overtly
black, even moments preceding violence and murder become almost
farcial. Beautifully cast, each character has a multitude of
foibles that are intriguing and hypnotic. How the fates of this
licorice all-sorts characters intersect and become intertwined is
mouth wateringly anticipated, while we enjoy many of life’s
little ironie. We learn much about the characters from images
alone, while effective editing juxtapositions scenes such as an
erotic sexual encounter with a vigorous stirring of delectable
pasta simmering on the stove. A selection of rhythmic laid back
blues and jazz sets the tone, but it’s the characters that
capture the imagination. Put together a control freak monster
obsessed by time (James Spader is hypnotic), a has-been hit man
with an unstable toupe (Danny Aiello is perfect), a paranoid,
selfish art dealer (Greg Crutwell; "I worked hard to become
an arsehole"), his downtrodden secretary (Glenne Headley, in
a performance not unlike the one she played in Dirty Scoundrels),
and two small town cops (Jeff Daniels is wonderfully on the
edge), the development of the relationship between Audrey (Marsha
Mason) and suicidal film director Teddy (Paul Mazursky) is
terrific. Teri Hatcher is great to watch, as is newcomer Charlize
Theron: the girls’ fight scene is one you’ll remember.
Not everyone will get this film, but for those who appreciate the
delectable rewards of black comedy, this is an encounter with
substantial rewards."
Louise Keller
"Here's one of those quirky little American films that tend to be lost in the huge Hollywood shuffle. When the film
opened to mixed reviews in the US last year, comparisons were
unfairly made with the likes of Pulp Fiction. Yet 2 Days in the
Valley is a refreshingly original, off-the-wall black comedy with
liberal doses of film noir deliciously integrated in the mix.
This is a film about misplaced characters trying to find
themselves in an isolated world, and they are an extraordinary
bunch, from the dim, good-hearted hit man (perfectly played by
Danny Aiello), to the snobbish art dealer's plain Jane assistant,
sublimely played by an unrecognisable Glenne Headly. Director
Paul Mazursky makes a welcome return to the screen as an actor,
hilarious as a suicidal film maker, and Eric Stoltz is perfect as
the naïve young cop who learns some home truths. There's also a
surprisingly effective performance by Teri Hatcher. In fact, 2
Days in the Valley is a film full of unexpected surprises, an
engaging, exciting and witty exploration of the human psyche in
the upper echelons of Los Angeles society. With a wonderfully
observant script and performances to match, this is a film well
worth discovering."
Paul Fischer
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2 DAYS IN THE VALLEY (MA)15+
(US)
CAST: Danny Aiello, Greg Cruttwell, Jeff Daniels, Teri
Hatcher, Glenne Headly, Peter Horton, Marsha Mason, Paul
Mazursky, James Spader, Eric Stoltz, Charlize Theron
DIRECTOR: John Herzfeld
PRODUCER: Jeff Wald, Herb Nanas
SCRIPT: John Herzfeld
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Oliver Wood
EDITOR: Jim Miller
MUSIC: Anthony Marinelli
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Catherine Hardwicke
RUNNING TIME: 103 minutes
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: Roadshow
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE: September 4, 1997
AUSTRALIAN VIDEO DISTRIBUTOR: Roadshow Entertainment
AUSTRALIAN VIDEO RELEASE: March 10, 1998
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