By making the key participants in The Valley an Indian-American family with many traditional values and customs, Kariat emphasizes the universality of the problem.
40
The GuardianPeter Bradshaw
The GuardianPeter Bradshaw
A hammy and facile family drama in the TV-movie-of-the-week mode.
30
Los Angeles TimesKimber Myers
Los Angeles TimesKimber Myers
The well-intentioned script from first-time writer-director Saila Kariat tries for emotional honesty but feels like a soap opera, and the cast doesn’t help it advance past dour melodrama.
30
The New York TimesBen Kenigsberg
The New York TimesBen Kenigsberg
As an awareness tool, The Valley feels simple-minded. As a drama, it feels exploitative.
30
Village VoiceTatiana Craine
Village VoiceTatiana Craine
In her feature debut, Kariat has touched upon important themes — the immigrant experience, ageism in tech, the performance of traditional family roles, and the toll of depression — but the way she has combined them too often feels slapdash.
