L
I O N 3.5***
If
film-art is the pursuit of visual pleasure, strong storytelling and a high
emotional experience, then Lion is one of 2016’s high-water marks( it was
nominated for Oscar’s Best Picture). Based on the novel A Long Way Home (2014),
this film adaptation is a richly textured movie about the primal human need for
belonging and family.
This true story is told in two parts and filmed across two continents. Five year-old Saroo is a constant sidekick to his older brother Guddo, two poor boys who support their family by stealing coal and scavenging trains in their small West Bengal Indian village. They become separated one night and Saroo finds himself alone on a locked decommissioned train heading 900 miles to the other side of India. He joins hordes of homeless kids who must fend off predators while begging to survive. Eventually he is placed in a crowded orphanage, then adopted by two big-hearted and childless Tasmanians (Australia), Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John (David Wenham). Twenty years on, Saroo (Dev Patel) begins to have memory flashbacks of his native land and family.. As they increase in intensity, he becomes obsessed with finding his family.
There is so much that makes this film stand out. The storytelling is excellent and the. acting performances are outstanding: Nicole Kidman is at her best while the five year-old Saroo (Sunny Pawar) is the heart of the film and Dev Patel its soul. The cinematography is brilliant, especially the filming in India. This film offers a very satisfying cinematic experience. Lion is one of those films that will appeal to everyone and it stays with you long after the film ends. It is easily one of the best movies of 2016.
This true story is told in two parts and filmed across two continents. Five year-old Saroo is a constant sidekick to his older brother Guddo, two poor boys who support their family by stealing coal and scavenging trains in their small West Bengal Indian village. They become separated one night and Saroo finds himself alone on a locked decommissioned train heading 900 miles to the other side of India. He joins hordes of homeless kids who must fend off predators while begging to survive. Eventually he is placed in a crowded orphanage, then adopted by two big-hearted and childless Tasmanians (Australia), Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John (David Wenham). Twenty years on, Saroo (Dev Patel) begins to have memory flashbacks of his native land and family.. As they increase in intensity, he becomes obsessed with finding his family.
There is so much that makes this film stand out. The storytelling is excellent and the. acting performances are outstanding: Nicole Kidman is at her best while the five year-old Saroo (Sunny Pawar) is the heart of the film and Dev Patel its soul. The cinematography is brilliant, especially the filming in India. This film offers a very satisfying cinematic experience. Lion is one of those films that will appeal to everyone and it stays with you long after the film ends. It is easily one of the best movies of 2016.
Rated PG-13 for
distressing material and some sensuality.
No longer in the
theaters. You’ll have to find it on TV or a streaming channel or rent it.
Clark
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