LION (2016)

Directed By: Garth Davis 
Written By: Luke Davies 
Based on the Book “A LONG WAY HOME” By: Saroo Brierley 
Cinematography By: Greig Fraser 
Editor: Alexandre De Franceschi 

Cast: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman, Sunny Pawar, David Wenham, Divian Ladwa 


In 1986, Saroo was a five-year-old child in India of a poor but happy rural family. On a trip with his brother, Saroo soon finds himself alone and trapped in a moving decommissioned passenger train that takes him to Calcutta, 1500 miles away from home. Now totally lost in an alien urban environment and too young to identify either himself or his home to the authorities, Saroo struggles to survive as a street child until he is sent to an orphanage. Soon, Saroo is selected to be adopted by the Brierley family in Tasmania, where he grows up in a loving, prosperous home. However, for all his material good fortune, Saroo finds himself plagued by his memories of his lost family in his adulthood and tries to search for them even as his guilt drives him to hide this quest from his adoptive parents and his girlfriend. Only when he has an epiphany does he realize not only the answers he needs, but also the steadfast love that he has always had with all his loved ones in both worlds.
<--more>One can see why audiences love this film. It is a tearjerker and very uplifting. Knowing that it is based on a true story makes it all the more devastating and the circumstances heightened. 
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<--more>It’s a beautiful film to look at and the acting is marvelous. 
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<--more>Though it does pull at the heartstrings towards the end. Which is where the film is at it's most vibrant and during the first half of the films e follow with the character as a child. So it is more of a survival tale as well as a nurturing one. As the first half feels like an odyssey or road picture in itself. Dev Patel does fine work here as does most of the cast. Though here the way he seems to be filmed he comes across as so handsome more like a model and definitely leading man material. He is downright dreamy here with his conflict and emotions. 
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<--more>Even the young actor who plays young Saroo for almost the first half of the movie is a revelation. Naturalistic yet moving. Holding his own and our attention. Rooney Mara has a vital bit thankless role. She just plays the love interest. Who is there for him and who the audience can tell his mind state by how he treats her. 
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<--more>Nicole Kidman one was afraid would suffer from the same fate as Mara. With an early scene wearing a distracting red wig. Where you might be afraid she was going to melt the costume do all of the acting. As the film progresses she proves to the the film's heart and true emotional center. 
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<--more>As said the first half of the film is where the real action takes place. It moves so fast and feels both heartbreaking and adventurous. 
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<--more>The film isn't bland, it's actually quite interesting though chooses to be more emotional than intense. It isn't as powerful and devastating as it is personal. As even in those early scenes you never are quite scared for the child more nervous. Yet assume all will turn out ok. 
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<--more>While it is a good film. One never feels it is particularly special or one of a kind. Nothing pushes it over the top. It's serviceable and certainly better than most films. It could easily be labeled Oscar bait which doesn't make the film bad. It just fits into a certain category and level kind of on a pedestal. 
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<--more>As it is a feel good film but thankfully not as manipulative as it could be. Though it mines dramatic depth it stays uplifting throughout. The little adventures in the earlier part of the film. It's Own odyssey it's especially harrowing when it looks like he has found a place to stay but the longer he does the shadier and more dangerous it looks. Especially when the man of the house comes around. 
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<--more>Though short shrift is given to his adopted brother. Who has more emotional problems and ends up being the black sheep member of the family. As at first he seems the more seedy one and attention monger but as the film goes along we see more a certain kind of rivalry and jealously between them both. Then both learning acceptance and forgiveness. 
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<--more>The film is definitely worth taking a chance on 

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<--more>GRADE: B