Echo Valley Review: More of a Drama Than a Thriller
When one hears that Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, and Fiona Shaw are part of the cast of Echo Valley, one expects a top-tier, high-quality film. And while their performances are as good as they have us used to, the storyline falls flat and doesn’t deliver the thrill it promises.
As a thriller, the film fails entirely. The plot begins with a predictable storyline, but fortunately, it includes a plot twist that throws everything the viewers are expecting off course. Nevertheless, everything that happens feels like a drama rather than a thriller.
However, even if one views the movie as a drama, certain moments are borderline boring. The storyline has its ups and downs, which pull the viewer’s attention in and out of the film.
While Sweeney does a great job of portraying Claire, her journey with addiction, and what this does to her mother, her appearance is too short for it to be a memorable performance in the movie. Her character serves more as a stepping-stone for Moore’s character to shine.
Even though the movie is not memorable, Moore’s performance will be. It’s not the kind of character that will make her top 10, but it is one that viewers can think back on and remember she did a great job.
The actors are at the top of their game throughout the entire movie, but the storyline takes us on a roller coaster of emotions. The beginning feels too predictable. We see the mom of an addict doing everything in her power to protect her daughter.
The plot twist comes when Kate realizes Ryan is still alive and she threw a stranger in the lake. After that, Jackie’s comeback and his blackmail of Kate also feel predictable. Otherwise, why would they have introduced his character in the first place?
Nevertheless, the ending delivers the kind of plot twist and excitement that should have been perceived throughout the film. The moment we realize Kate and Les planned everything to frame Jackie, we understand the potential this movie had.
If the storyline had focused more on that thriller, it would have had a better impact on the viewers.
Echo Valley highlights two important things that viewers must pay attention to. The first one is the fact that every relationship, with the exception of one, is completely transactional.
Kate and her ex-husband still have a relationship because she needs his money to keep the farm running. Claire keeps coming back to her mom’s house because she knows Kate will do and give her anything she needs. And Jackie uses everyone he meets to get money.
The only relationship based on a genuine connection and love is the friendship between Kate and Les. Les shows up to take care of Kate, helps her move and burn a body, and never judges her for what needs to be done. She doesn’t need Kate in a material or beneficial way; she wants her in her life because she loves their friendship.
The second important thing to pay attention to is the fact that the entire movie relies on the feeling of failure that both Kate and Claire experience. Claire says it when they’re at the lake, her entire life feels like a failure because of her addiction. Everything she has done has disappointed the people who love her.
For Kate, the failure is ingrained in her by her ex-husband. He believes she failed their family and destroyed it when she fell in love with Patty. Because she thinks he is right, she does everything she can to make it up to her daughter.
Claire’s addiction feels to Kate like her personal failure because maybe if the family hadn’t been destroyed, that wouldn’t have happened. And Claire uses that to her advantage because she knows the guilt will push her mom to do anything and everything for her…including hiding a body.
Echo Valley isn’t the thriller it promised to be, but one can appreciate that the potential for greatness is there. The performances by everyone involved make up for any and all plot holes.
Ultimately, viewers are left with the knowledge that the film is about a mother who is willing to go to the end of the earth to protect her daughter, regardless of how her daughter may have behaved. But it is also important to remember that the kind of friendship between Kate and Les is rare and precious.
Perhaps the point of the movie is to focus on the relationships rather than the storyline itself.
What did you think of Echo Valley? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
Critic Rating:
Audience Rating:
Echo Valley is streaming on Apple TV+.
Check out our latest TV recommendations, updated weekly!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature known as a Media Relations Expert. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Eulalie Magazine, Geek Girl Authority, W Spotlight, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.