In The Valley of Elah is undoubtedly one of the most realistic depictions of a modern soldier's experience during the Iraq War. This film exposes the challenges many soldiers face upon returning from service. In the Valley of Elah follows a police plot as Hank Deerfield attempts to find his AWOL son, Mike, who has just returned home from active duty in Iraq. As Hank pieces together the events that led to his son's death, viewers see how traumatized the returning soldiers are. This film immerses the viewer in some very powerful and horrific incidents, as evidenced in the photographs and cell phone footage that Mike records in Iraq. Throughout the film, Mike's mental state gradually deteriorates through the photographs and images that Hank reveals. The lack of support Mike receives from his father and the traumatic events he witnessed in Iraq have contributed to Mike's post-traumatic stress disorder. Mike's comrades, Corporal Penning, Spc. Bonner, Spc. Long and Private Ortiez also all show visible signs of mental trauma from their service in Iraq. Living in such an intense and horrible environment makes it difficult for soldiers to adjust to normal life when they return home. Paul Haggis' use of these images and clips helps shed light on a topic (PTSD) that has gone largely unnoticed by returning soldiers. In the first few minutes of the film, the audience finds themselves in Iraq with Mike and his unit. Mike says he will make "history" by throwing an American football to Iraqi children (In the Valley of Elah 2007). In this scene, Mike is trying to bridge the gap between "them and us", he is trying to lighten the mood by interacting with people who are supposed to be considered "the enemy". On Mike's side that... middle of paper ...... after living in constant fear and in "war mode", it is difficult for soldiers to lose the habits they developed in Iraq. They are on constant alert and when alcohol is added to a tense situation, some soldiers have difficulty restraining their military instinct to fight and kill. While Mike's story may be glorified by the film industry, it is not completely out of character for a soldier to experience a similar incident and suffer mental health effects from it. Paul Haggis does an exceptional job bringing PTSD and stress disorders to the public. Works Cited In the Valley of Elah. Real. Paul Haggis. Perf. Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Jason Patric. Warner Independent Pictures, 2007. DVD. “PTSD: National Center for PTSD. » Mental health effects of service in Afghanistan and Iraq -. US Department of Veterans Affairs, nd Web. March 1. 2014.