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Poster for 2 Days in the Valley

2 Days in the Valley

You have one minute to decide the rest of your life.

1996 · 1h 44m · R Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Directed by John Herzfeld

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Overview

In a sleepy bedroom community of LA's San Fernando Valley, the murder of a professional athlete by two hit men sets into motion a chain of events that puts the mundane lives of a dozen residents on a collision course. This clever tale tells the story of two hit men, a mistress, a nurse, a vindictive ex-wife, a wealthy art dealer and his lovelorn assistant, a suicidal writer and his dog, and a bitter cop and his partner.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
60%
Tomatometer
Fresh

To the director's credit, the actors all seem responsive to his touch, giving performances that are lively and flavorsome, if not deep or unlike anything each of them has done before.

Todd McCarthy, Variety
Rotten

Herzfeld has a tolerable eye for filling a 'Scope frame but a tin ear when it comes to creating dialogue; these are all characters we've met before, and most even seem bored with themselves.

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Fresh

A sleek, amusingly nasty screen debut by a film maker whose television credits include an Amy Fisher docudrama.

Stephen Holden, New York Times
Fresh

Funny, pathetic, sad, absurdist -- writer-director John Herzfeld plays it any number of ways, and makes them all work.

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Fresh

There are too many characters, but some are a lot of fun. The tone shifts, from graphic murder to wig-flipping farce, are too extreme, but much of it works.

Jack Mathews, Los Angeles Times

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