Down in the Valley

Both actors work hard to give this disturbing crime story some flavor and substance, but the narrative is overextended and poorly organized.

Strange but compelling.

There's no depth to the story, and as the thrills start to kick in, Down in the Valley becomes a B-movie - less a modern epic Western than a two-reel oater with a cheap cliffhanger.

Jacobson examines the life and death of the western and its incompatibility with the youth of today ... a fascinating, yet slightly off-balance, mix of tribute and scrutiny.