Welcome back to my blog. Here’s my recommendation of a movie to check out today and hope you punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” OK, let’s take a look at the dark, violent drama “2 Days in the Valley.” It is simply one of the best films ever ignored for an Oscar despite deserving for film, director, best actor/actress and best supporting actor/actress.
“2 Days in the Valley” has an ensemble cast of near A-list actors with Danny Aiello, James Spader and Charlize Theron doing much of the heavy lifting. However, I was most impressed by the acting work of legendary director Paul Mazursky as a flawed but honest man who ultimately drives the entire film. Turning in impressive supporting work are Oscar winners Marsha Mason and Louise Fletcher. Along the way you also get great work from Keith Carradine, Jeff Daniels and Glenne Headley as the longsuffering assistant to a stuck-up Greg Cruttwell.
The story of “2 Days in the Valley” is complicated and creates an intersection of violence and mayhem for all the characters. Spader, Theron and Hatcher are involved in some shady business involving the North Koreans and Aiello is brought along initially to assist Spader’s psychotic killer character.
Along the way in “2 Days in the Valley,” you get explosions, gunplay, a hitman afraid of dogs and arguably one of cinema’s best-ever “catfights” (can I use that term today?) between Theron and Hatcher. “2 Days in the Valley” is deep into R-rated territory not just because of the violence, but also the intimate scene between Spader and Theron.
If you haven’t seen “2 Days in the Valley,” put it at the top of your list. Drama doesn’t get any better and the tension it creates is impressive. I will never be able to understand how a film this visceral; a film so excellent; and a story told so well could only generate enough ticket sales to have been ranked 119th in 1996 at the U.S. box office. Oh, yes, the title comes from the movie being set across two days in California’s San Fernando Valley.
So, I say punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” and watch “2 Days in the Valley.” It is available to rent or buy on a variety of streaming services.. You will thank me later for “2 Days in the Valley.”
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