My comments here are written in light of having watching the film for a second time. While I liked 'Valley of Angels' a lot the first time around, I appreciated it even more the second time. There are some slight negative points - the language content is at times overbearing and harsh and a few technical bumps - but there is not anything significant that I would flaw the film on.
The acting is definitely the film's strongest point. George Katt gives and intense and realistic performance. It is everything that he does throughout, in particular the facial expressions that he captures on his face. Into the film his expressions at times are unflinching and very realistic. He portrays innocence and hurt so easily. He's very natural, scratches his face, moves graciously, and you can see him connecting with his character throughout the story. Brando represents the very definition of method acting and George Katt is at that level in this film. Being able to reach inside yourself and pull something out that kicks everyone in the ass. They say sometimes beautiful people are born under a dark cloud. I think Katt was born under a rain of thunderbolts like Brando was. He is powerful and tragic at the same time.
When I first viewed the film, it was Katt's acting that stood out the most to me. His performance and character are riveting, providing a fierce performance while not letting his character turn into a stereotype. It is incredibly realistic acting, the way he interacts with with different characters and takes on different personalities in order to get through each specific situation, and the way he is torn between his new found love and what he does for a living.
It's a superb performance as a conflicted and guilt ridden torched soul.
It has an excellent score and often fits the actions very well.
One can praise a film for many different reasons, but it is not worth much unless one can explain what the film is really about. I would say that 'Valley of Angels' is a drama about struggling against the inner restrictions of 'self', and of what it takes to crawl out of a dark hole one has made for himself. However, I also see it as an exciting story about a young man confronting himself and the harshness of a shallow city that is effectively and realistically run by drugs. Perhaps it is about love and how mistakes are made by certain paths a young man can easily take in life. I think different viewers will take something different out of it. And it is perhaps that, more than the artistic and cinematic qualities of the film, which makes it a great piece of independent cinema. This is a film for more intelligent and thoughtful audiences. If anything, it's worthwhile to watch George Katt's performance in the film.
