‘Echo Valley' movie review: Julianne Moore shines in this routine thriller
A horse farm in Pennsylvania serves as the setting for this rural noir. Written by Brad Ingelsby, the brains behind the stunning Mare of Easttown, Echo Valley is a by-the-numbers thriller made watchable by the luminescent Julianne Moore.
Grieving for the death of her wife in a riding accident, Kate (Julianne Moore), is struggling to run Echo Valley, a horse farm, they ran together. When the contractor gloomily says repairing the roof would cost $9,000, Kate asks her wealthy ex-husband, Richard, (Kyle MacLachlan) for the money.
Echo Valley (English)
Director: Michael Pearce
Cast: Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, Kyle MacLachlan, Fiona Shaw
Runtime: 103 minutes
Storyline: A grieving widow goes to extreme lengths to keep her troubled daughter safe
Richard unwillingly writes her cheque, chastising her for indulging their heroin-addicted daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), who is in and out of rehab. Richard also tells Kate to sell the farm as it is not turning a profit and it does not make sense to throw good money after bad.
Late one night, Claire visits Kate, dragging in all her problems as well. There is her druggie boyfriend, Ryan (Edmund Donovan), the scary drug dealer, Jackie (Domhnall Gleeson), a deficit of $10,000 and a body to dispose off. Kate is willing to go any lengths to protect Claire, who knows it and manipulates her mother.
Though there is a body and a police investigation, Echo Valley is more of a relationship drama with thriller elements thrown in. That the said ingredients would hardly have you gnawing your nails in suspense wondering what happens next, does not do the mercifully short movie any favours.
Echo Valley is propped by excellent acting starting with Moore who invests so much into her character that we are forced to do the same. She is tough and broken, grieving and warm, caring and razor sharp. Sweeney is excellent as the damaged Clair who is like a wrecking ball destroying everything in her path. Gleeson makes it easy to hate the execrable Jackie, which says a lot about his acting prowess. Fiona Shaw (Maarva from Andor) as Kate's best friend, Jessie, provides a hearty anchor to all the fraught proceedings.
Produced by Ridley Scott and Ingelsby, among others, another plus in Echo Valley's court is Benjamin Kračun's (Promising Young Woman, The Substance) lovely frames. There seems to be a misty beauty to the constant rain, the rolling greens and the serene lake. The horses as always are a sight for sore eyes and there is also the dog, Cooper, who knows more than he is letting on. Not as nuanced as it could have been, Echo Valley's cast and cinematography manage to make it watchable.
Echo Valley is currently streaming on Apple TV+
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