Echo Valley

I’ve been quite vocal in my criticisms of Apple TV+’s feature length efforts, noting that even the immensely high production values and the typically stacked cast and filmmakers behind each project aren’t usually enough to elevate them beyond mediocrity. The streamer’s films are never outright poor films, but compared to the quality we expect and know from its series, they are usually off the mark. It’s because of this that I find it so refreshing to be talking about Echo Valley today, a film which lacks the eye-catching allure and draw of Wolfs, The Gorge, The Fountain of Youth, and other expensive action flicks.

Echo Valley is a drama, a thrilling one at that. It revolves around Julianne Moore’s leading character Kate, a mother and equestrian teacher, who after a series of hardships in life, finds herself at rock bottom. This would be enough for one person to deal with if you didn’t also add an addict daughter called Claire, played by Sydney Sweeney, who uses her mother’s affection to abuse their relationship, roping her into horrifying events out of one’s nightmares, events that reach their boiling point when Domhnall Gleeson’s vindictive crook Jackie steps into the conversation.

Long story short, Jackie convinces Claire to make her mother do something so that he can then exploit Kate by using her farm’s wealth for his own gain. As you can imagine, there’s not a lot of room for happiness in a story like this, and frankly Echo Valley is one great spiral into misery, depression, and pain for the majority of its one hour and 40 minute duration. That might not seem very compelling, but director Michael Pearce and writer Brad Ingelsby obviously went into making this project with a very clear creative vision, one that lacked the fluff of many modern action epics, all to deliver a tight, well-acted, structurally solid, and excellently paced narrative.

Throughout the runtime, you’ll be taken on a true roller coaster of emotions as you connect with Kate, feel her pain, and then find yourself lost for words each time the metaphorical knife is twisted with each plot revelation. Again, this is in part down to a well put together premise, with strong dialogue and character development baked into it, but it’s also in part down to the fantastic work by the core cast, who deliver top performances.

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Moore, as you would expect, is the perfect focal point for this film, delivering a performance that never fails to impress and also doesn’t stretch into the realms of being overacted. She’s the anchor for this film, the ideal balancing tool when stacked up to Sweeney, who here actually delivers perhaps her best performance to date, particularly in moments where she appears manipulative, cruel, and suffocating to be around. Gleeson also uses Echo Valley as a return to form, trading his frankly poor effort in The Fountain of Youth for an antagonist role where you will despise him, find him frustrating, and powerful all at the same time. This core trio is the lifeblood of Echo Valley, but the rest of the cast, mainly Fiona Shaw, are no slouches either.

This is a movie that lives up to its idea with flying colours, offering quality drama and so much suspense and thrill that you can cut the tension at times with a butter knife. It’s uncomfortable to watch at moments, hard to look away from at others, and all while coming in at a duration that is a little longer than some episodes of television. Again, I can be critical of Apple TV+’s films, but Echo Valley is a win for the streamer, proving that tentpole action is perhaps not always the way to go.

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