Echo Valley, starring Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney, is a listless drama that fails to deliver on its promise of an original story. Scripted by Brad Ingelsby, the film centers around Kate Garretson (Moore), a woman who starts each day listening to old voicemail messages from her late wife. As she navigates her daily life on a small farm in rural Pennsylvania, Kate’s world is turned upside down when her troubled adult daughter Claire (Sweeney) returns home after a fight with her boyfriend.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Echo Valley attempts to position itself as a thriller, but its pacing and plot choices fall flat. Without creating effective misdirection or digging into relationship dynamics, the film meanders through its second and third acts, leading to an implausible and incongruous conclusion.
While Moore gives a strong performance, imbuing Kate with a pained melancholy that connects her grief to her obligation to Claire, the rest of the cast is underutilized. Sweeney throws herself into Claire’s volatile character, but even she can’t elevate the film’s poor writing and direction.
On a technical level, Echo Valley fares better, with cinematographer Benjamin Kračun bringing visual interest to the proceedings. However, the film’s attempts to fit its solid components into an orthodox genre frame ultimately fail, leaving audiences feeling trapped in unmemorable “second-screen” programming. Overall, Echo Valley is a disappointing drama that fails to deliver on its promise of originality and tension.
Source: https://www.avclub.com/echo-valley-review