Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon and James Franco Directed by Paul Haggis Oscar-winning writer director Paul Haggis (Crash) helms the powerful drama In the Valley of Elah. Tommy Lee Jones earned a Best Actor Oscar nom for his role as a war veteran who learns that his son, a soldier who recently returned from serving in Iraq, has gone AWOL. Hoping to find some answers, Hank enlists the help of police detective Emily Sanders (Theron). As they delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover a tangled web of lies and subterfuge, all related to the Iraq conflict.