Lion (2016) User Reviews (649)

Not just another Oscar bait movie

[moviewizguy · 9/10 · 19 October 2016]

Do you know the feeling you get when you go into a film with no expectations at all or thinking it might be decent, and the film turns out to not only be good, but blows you away by how amazing it ends up being? That's LION, and if you've been watching films for several years like me thinking you've seen everything committed to cinema, it's a fantastic feeling to be proved wrong.

Let me explain to you exactly what I experienced while watching LION: Almost half of the film is in Hindi, which lends incredible authenticity to the story, not that BS where they have actors in which English is their second language speak English for the sake of sparing the American audience from reading subtitles (I'm looking at you, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, and every other Hollywood movie ever made). In fact, the entire first act takes place in India, where about 40 minutes of the film rides on the shoulders of a first time child actor – played by the wonderful Sunny Pawar – and it's one of the best first acts I've seen in years. Think of it like the silent first act of Wall-E; it feels like it can be its own film, yet the filmmakers do a great job connecting the story once Dev Patel comes on screen.

On top of that, the filmmaking is impressive. The script is fantastic, the cinematography is lush, the soundtrack complements the film really nicely, and the pacing is on point where it rarely feels like it's dragging, despite the story taking place over the course of 25 years. Every actor in here is also terrific in their roles. As stated earlier, Sunny Pawar makes a compelling lead for the first third of the film. If Oscars were given to kid actors, he would have a damn good chance at winning one. For the last two thirds, Dev Patel more than carries the rest of the film, giving an emotionally naked performance worthy enough to top his role in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. Finally, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman, and David Wenham are ace, despite all of them having limited screen time.

In a time where diversity is being talked about more in the film industry, LION makes a compelling case for having diversity in storytelling. It's not about a guy meeting his girlfriend's parents for the first time. It's not about a group of friends going in a cabin in the woods. It's not even about a guy/girl struggling with the death of his/her father/mother/son/daughter/dog. No, LION is a personal story unique to South Asians growing up in India, and it's refreshing and easily one of the best films the year has to offer. Don't dismiss this as yet another Oscar bait movie put out by the Weinstein Company – it probably is one. But the film is much more than that. With a distinct vision from director Garth Davis, LION offers an enthralling story that deserves to be seen by everyone.

Powerful story, will move you to tears. Be sure to bring plenty of Kleenex.

[FelixFelicis · 8/10 · 15 September 2016]

Just saw this at TIFF . I saw the trailer a few days before the screening and I have to admit the trailer alone made me a little emotional. I mean just the thought of a 5 year old separated from his family for 25 years is bad enough, add in the fact that he was lost in India, a country of over a billion people and was the child of an uneducated poor single mother and you are looking at a very stressful situation.

This happens there everyday..and most children never find their way back. They either end up dead or in the hands of heartless people who use children for various illegal / unethical operations. The fact that one boy survived this situation and went on to tell his story is very inspiring and this fantastic film did justice to showing it on screen.

There wasn't a single scene in the movie which doesn't suck you in. Hats off to Dev Patel. He managed to make you feel the character's pain just by the way he looked at a jalebi (indian sweet that his brother and him fantasized about back in India). Special shoutout to the young actor who played little Saroo. His performance blew me away. It would be difficult to watch any child go through what he did and the fact that he was absolutely adorable looking made it even harder.

The movie explores some great themes: What happens to lost children in developing countries? How do poor, illiterate citizens of a country go about finding their lost children...who helps them? What are the dangers faced by these lost children? Why do certain people choose to adopt? How do adopted children adapt to their surroundings? Especially when they're transplanted so many miles away from home where they do not even speak the language. Do children every fully recover from traumatic childhood experiences? Does one forget their original family if they never see them again after the age of 5? As an adopted child do you ever completely feel like you fit into your new life? What is the bond with your adoptive parents like? The film touches upon all these themes while primarily being about the physical and emotional journey of a young man finding his way back home with very few clues to work with.

I kid you not, I could hear the whole theatre crying during several parts of the movie and most people had tissues in their hands. So be prepared. If you're in the mood for a heart wrenching drama with an uplifting ending, go watch this one once its out! The lead cast as well as supporting members have all done a wonderful job. You will not be disappointed!

Roars like a near mighty lion

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 10 May 2018]

'Lion' showed a lot of promise. There was potential for a very powerful story, had heard a lot of good things about it (as seen from many positive reviews and a high rating here) and there is a lot of talent involved. A lot of my friends had said how much it touched them, as have many reviewers here, and it seemed like my kind of film.

Fortunately, 'Lion' was a film that had great potential and mostly lived up to it. Cannot say that for many recent viewings, with a few too many wastes of good concepts and potential (along with wastes of talent, that is a bugbear of mine because it feels like somewhat of a slap of the face) so that there was a film that did not waste it was refreshing and restored a bit of faith. It is a very good film, albeit it was very nearly a great film. That it wasn't the great film all the way through than when it started is something of a shame, but there are so many great qualities all the same.

It is an uneven film sure, starting with the negatives. The second half is not as strong as the first half, it is not as compellingly paced and the clarity of storytelling is less good, some of it feeling vague. That is not to say it is unwatchable, it is still touching in spots in a film that is quite the emotional experience.

Rooney Mara also came over to me as the cast's weak link. She didn't look very interested and her character felt like a misplaced and underwritten plot device.

However, 'Lion's' first half is wonderful. Hugely compelling and very emotional, and what is meant by why the film very nearly was great. The whole film though was poignant, and count me in as another film who has become tougher generally over the year but got through several tissues by the film's end.

Throughout, 'Lion' is beautifully filmed and complements the beautiful sceneries very well. Scoring and sound never come over as obvious or intrusive. The script provokes thought, charms and moves. The story is never dull and the emotional impact never feels forced or manipulative.

Garth Davis does a very good job directing. Aside from Mara, the cast are very good. Dev Patel's performance here is perhaps the best seen from him personally and David Wenham and Nicole Kidman are similarly excellent. The star here though is Sunny Pawar who is just outstanding, have not seen a child performance this good in a long time, it is perhaps among the best ever.

In conclusion, very good and very nearly great. 8/10 Bethany Cox

The story of my life..

[maenloca · 10/10 · 10 February 2019]

It's the story of my life. I was born in Bangalore in 1983 and I was adopted by an Italian family when I was almost two years old. My father told me that the nuns found me on the street, and they took me to an orphanage in Solur. My father made a very difficult journey to come and get me and we stayed a month in India before returning to Italy. unfortunately I do not remember anything of that world and for me it will be very difficult to understand where I was born but one day I will come back. I have to go back This film change my life..

Truly Exceptional

[jvcksonsmth · 10/10 · 14 September 2016]

May I start this off by saying that I'm astonished at the extremely unfair negative, even 'mixed' reviews the film has gotten so far... The film is not even remotely close to being average, it's far, far, beyond magnificent.

By now you probably know the synopsis, so I'll add for those who haven't seen the film that it's visually stunning, the acting is superb (special mention to phenomenal newcomer Sunny Pawar, who plays 5 year old Saroo) and the story is so gripping and moving, that there wasn't a dry eye in the house when the film reached it's emotional climax.

I've been thinking about this film since I saw it, there's drama, mystery, romance, a whirlwind of emotions throughout the 2 hours - in the best way possible.

Lion

[0U · 10 February 2020]

Lion is based on a true story that is both incredibly uplifting and heartbreaking. Don't watch any trailers - go in blind. This film is a must-see.

Couldn't stop crying

[ian-70926 · 9/10 · 4 October 2016]

This is such a beautiful film, with a simple story line, without any frills.

A young Indian boy leaves their village with his older brother to do some "jobs", in one of these jobs he gets lost and cannot find his way back home. Pass some years and he's adopted by a family from Australia, and when that boy becomes an adult, he starts wondering where he's actually from.

It deals with aspects of origin and identity, and that we cannot escape from who we really are.

Superb, superb acting from everyone, from the little Indian boys, specially Sunny Pawar that plays the young Sarro, to Dev Patel who has clearly matured into a top class act and is endearing and touching playing the older Saroo.

I'm certainly watching it again.

Such a powerful film!

[joshbarton15 · 10/10 · 14 December 2016]

Missing child cases are ones that really do send a shiver down the spine, the uncertainty of the child's whereabouts or whether in fact they are actually still alive being the major worries. You can't possibly understand the effect it must have on a family. In Garth Davis' Lion, we see the effects of such a case on the child rather than the family left behind.

Saroo (Sunny Pawar) is a five-year-old child living in a remote Indian village with his mother, brother and sister. Spending his days helping his brother steal coal from trains, Saroo joins his brother for a job one night but finds himself lost and on a train to Calcutta, nearly two-thousand kilometres from his home village.

Surviving many challenges and meeting various faces, Saroo is eventually adopted by an Australian couple, John and Sue Brierley (David Wenham and Nicole Kidman). Twenty-five years later, Saroo (Dev Patel) decides to track his lost family down.

I must start by saying that I absolutely loved Lion, a film that deals with such a traumatising true story in such a delicate manner. Garth Davis splits the film into two halves, the first focusing on Saroo as a five-year-old lost in such a densely populated city and the second looking at Saroo as a grown man, so far away from the life he left years before. It is quite tough to watch at times, particularly some scenes of a young Saroo trying to survive on the streets of Calcutta however, Davis' film builds to a truly beautiful conclusion that left me emotionally destroyed.

I think the fact that this is a true story played a massive part in the conclusion having such an impact on me. Davis plays it out brilliantly and the inclusion of real life footage in the end credits, along with startling facts about how many children go missing in India, just added more power to the already powerful film.

Lion doesn't just get its power from the story but from the tremendous performances also. I have always liked Dev Patel as an actor but this is the first time I've watched him give such a powerhouse of a performance as a grown up Saroo struggling to cope with tracking down his lost family. From here, Patel could really go places, starting with awards recognition in the early new year.

Sunny Pawar deserves a special mention for his performance as a young Saroo, lost and alone in such a unfamiliar place. It's always a risk to have such a large portion of the film led by such a young actor but it's ultimately one that pays off greatly in Lion. There's also fine support on offer from Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman and David Wenham, ensuring the quality runs right throughout the film.

Lion is a film that I urge you to go and see because a film like this needs the coverage and its subject matter is something people need to be made more aware of.

harrowing first half

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 16 July 2017]

It's 1986. Saroo and his brother Guddu steal coal from passing trains. Their mother is an illiterate laborer. The family scraps by in rural India. Guddu leaves Saroo sleeping at the train station for night work. Saroo wakes up and stumbles into an empty train. He find himself trapped as the train travels 1600 miles to Calcutta. He is alone in the city and unable to speak the local dialect. He escapes the scary streets and gets taken to a Dickensian orphanage. He is adopted by Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John Brierley (David Wenham) from Tasmania. Twenty years later, he moves to Melbourne to study hotel management and starts a relationship with Lucy (Rooney Mara). Friends suggest using Google Earth to pinpoint his lost home town.

The first half with young Saroo is a harrowing journey. The nightmarish streets are closer to the horror genre. It's a very compelling story. The kid is undeniable. Once he leaves for Australia, the story slows down. There are some compelling aspects but it falters when compared to the first half. That imbalance leaves the movie wanting. Maybe it's possible to add more flashbacks into the second half.

Waiting for Guddu...

[ElMaruecan82 · 8/10 · 26 February 2017]

Whenever I wander in the streets of the Moroccan Medina, I feel at home. There's that strange mixture of various fragrances floating in the air: spices, kebab, frying delicacies (not much different from these appetizing jelabis), sea spray from the fish market, tanned leather from the shoe shop and this whole conglomerate smell outsiders or tourists might feel stinky, but as far as "my" senses are concerned, "there's no place like home". I didn't pick it, it picked me.

And maybe there's something innately circular about life, we're born home, we move close or far from it, and there's the need to get back. I even have a personal theory: that even your children can find a deep "connection" with the place you were born in, your home will also feel like home for them. And it is indeed "A Long Way Home", the poignant and inspiring story of Saroo Brierley, born in India, lost at the age of five, adopted by an Australian couple and reuniting with his mother and his family twenty-five years later. What else can be said? It's a simple story but it's often in the most plain-looking grounds that you can find the most precious gems.

Garth Davis' "Lion" is indeed simple in its storytelling; it's linear and straightforward in its clarity. Basically the whole first hour shows poor Saroo looking for his brother Guddu in hostile and overcrowded streets of Calcutta and finding a few moments of relief interrupted by adults, and in the huge lottery of karma, some can look extremely friendly and have sinister motives. But good fate sides with little Saroo and one lucky encounter leading to another, a couple of Australian tourist discovers the 'wanted notice' published in a newspaper and they instantly fall in love with the kid and adopt him. Saroo is then taught English and good manners.

Then, something interesting happens: while I expected some resistance, he actually tries to fit in his new family as if he's aware that there's something really providential in that couple of good-hearted people from Tasmania, played by Nicole Kidman and David Brienham. The one twist that spoils the family harmony is the adoption of a mentally troubled and self-harming Indian boy named Mantosh one year later. "Lion" manages to say a lot without words, from the reaction of Sunny Pawar, who does a fine, subtle, acting job, I could feel that he didn't welcome this arrival with much enthusiasm but wouldn't display jealousy out of love for his new mom.

And the way he grew up was in line with the character. Dev Patel finally makes his entrance as a brilliant young man in his mid-twenties, ready to embrace studies in hotel management, he's also a nice guy like you seldom see in movies, no tortured soul, no rebel, no wimp either and respectful toward his parents. Seeing Patel again made me regret how harshly I judged "Slumdog Millionnaire" but I never commented his acting but a script that took a rather simplistic turn near the end. So, I was glad to see Patel again, playing another guy trying to find a loved one through a "modern device" but I hoped Davis wouldn't derail the film from its beautiful simplicity.

And I had a good scare when his soon-to-be girlfriend, played by Rooney Mara, started improvising a little dance on the streets as it almost felt like there would be some Bollywood number, but it was just her twisted way to seduce him, and it worked… well, to some degree. Personally, she struck me as a too cold and sophisticated girl, I didn't buy that a guy so warm and "sunny" like Saroo would fall in love with a younger version of Kristin Scott Thomas. Even the love scenes made me wonder if Mara wasn't still under the influence of her previous romance in "Carol". Never mind, the center of the movie were Patel and Kidman and as soon as Patel has this delicate 'Proust Madeleine' moment, the story takes off and with the miracle of "Google Earth", Saroo tries to find the way back home.

The film tries to inject some 'suspense' in that powerful journey but that wasn't necessary, I think they could have just compressed the 'research' within the last weeks before Saroo's departure and avoided these little 'pending' moments, only to focus on the relationship with his adoptive mother and some emotional insights about the heights of generosity some hearts can reach. There were many heartfelt statements about adoption that could have enriched the story but the girlfriend allowed Saroo to explain his existential crisis to the audience without never really existing on her own, I didn't care for her anyway. The tormented brother could have made a more interesting foil for Saroo and would have provided a fine back-story paralleling Saroo's experience.

While "Lion" isn't flawless, it's a movie whose emotional power relied on the ending, and when Saroo was getting closer to his home, I could find my own heart beating, that's for the empathy… and that was the price to pay, to earn that teary explosion of happiness and a few emotionally rewarding revelations, concluding one of the few 2016 movies of universal appeal. Indeed, If there ever was one statement to sum up the general appeal of movies, or stories regardless of their narrative medium, I would quote the late Roger Ebert who said "The more specific a film is, the more universal, because the more it understands individual characters, the more it applies to everyone".

Truer words have never been spoken indeed. Garth Davis' "Lion" might have an Australian-Indian protagonist but anyone can relate to him, from India, Iceland, Jamaica, Morocco or any part of the world.

Intelligent and moving

[MOscarbradley · 7/10 · 7 February 2017]

"Lion" is the kind of inspirational movie I normally shy away from but first-time director Garth Davis treats the material with a harder edge than I expected. The potential for sentimentality is, of course, high in this true story of a five year old Indian boy separated from his family by 1600 kilometers when the train he is sleeping in 'accidentally' takes him to Calcutta forcing him to live on the streets until a kindly Australian couple, (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham), adopt him and raise him to adulthood in Tasmania.

As a child he is played by the remarkable Sunny Pawar and as an adult by the equally remarkable Dev Patel in a film full of fine performances. The tragedy of the early scenes are that they will immediately remind you of Dickensian London, (complete with a Fagin and a Nancy), though mercifully these children encounter as much goodness as they do evil. This is, after all, a film about hope.

Of course, one of the risks involved when Western filmmakers make movies in such 'exotic' locations as India is the temptation to prettify them out of all recognition. This is fine in a movie like "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" but a movie like this needs to look at least more 'realistic' and Greig Fraser's excellent cinematography does go some way to rectifying the problem; there is a darkness here, literally and metaphorically. Ultimately this is a moving and intelligent picture that could easily have been so much less; a film in which even the obligatory romantic entanglements, (here involving a fine Rooney Mara), work. Hardly Best Picture material but worth seeing nevertheless.

This Film has Oscars written all over it

[apioneer · 10/10 · 11 November 2016]

I had not read anything about this film and I went to see 'Lion' yesterday. I was moved, I was shocked. I had tears in my eyes and the hair on my skin stood up. I could listen to my own heart beats while watching this film. It has never happened to me before when I saw a film and I was touched immensely. The film took me back to my roots and streets where I grew up. I am from Pakistan and I have been living in San Francisco for the last 15 years. I come from that part of the world where this story takes place. I grew up in streets like the streets of the movie 'Lion'. I have met many children who collect garbage to make a living and are lost in the streets of this universe. They sleep alone on card board boxes at night and when you look at them , there is a question in their eyes. The world has forgotten about these children and there are thousands of these children on the streets of India and Pakistan. Do you really know what it feels like when you are only 5 years old and lost in some crowded street in a big city and do not know how to get home? To the boy who played Saroo (Sunny Pawar), I want to give you an Academy Award. The film grabs you from the beginning as it starts out with showing a beautiful relationship between two brothers who are running on a train track. The actress who played mother (Priyanka Bose)touched my heart. Her performance is breathtaking. The way she looks at her sons, shows you how a mother pours her heart with love when she looks at her children. There are no words to express that feeling and actress gave her full self and emotions to play this role from young to old. It is commendable and her acting moved me and reminded me of my own mother. There are so many things which I think my mother does not know about me but the way she looks at me, I know she knows.

Lost Saroo looks around for Guddu at the dark train station and then looks for Guddu everywhere, in his thoughts for the rest of his life. What a beautiful role of Guddu played by Abhishek Bharate and what a promising actor! There were some real gripping performances in this film by actors which had only small roles in the film but they left their mark and touched me. I want to give a big hug to Garth Davis for choosing these powerful actors and giving them a chance to express their emotions. I must mention Tannishtha Chattergee, who knew her character and made a mark with just two scenes. Now that's called Actor.

I have always seen Nicole Kidman in great grandeur roles. But I was shocked to see her in 'Lion'. A small role with few scenes. She gave herself all. Her performance in Lion is heartfelt. The cinematographer was able to capture her emotions and her heart on the big screen. David Wenham, plays the part of father to Saroo with amazing acting skills and warmth. Dev Patel, you did a good job.I want to give a big salute to all the filmmakers and actors who were involved in making this film. You have done an exceptional job and gave me something which will be in my mind and heart for a very long time. If any actors or filmmakers want to reach out to me please email at hassanzee-at-gm-ail

An incredibly emotional, yet unbalanced, journey

[martinaors · 7/10 · 3 January 2017]

I'll start by saying that I'm an incredibly emotional person myself, which means I'm capable of feeling great empathy for most of the characters on screen, but this time I could clearly hear the whole crowd in the projection room crying their hearts out, or at least feeling sad for that little, genuine and brilliant kid played by Sunny Pawar, whose first performance on screen was pure gold.

The first half of the movie would deserve a solid 9, with a rhythmical and powerful editing, mostly long shots (which will most likely make you want to visit India right away) and the tough, indifferent and unscrupulous reality Saroo finds himself fighting against. A strong journey of survival and nostalgia, filled with moments of pure disgust and decay as well as moments of relief and hope.

The second half, tho, is barely comparable to the first one. The script gets slightly weaker, even tho Dev Patel - whose accomplished maturity is unbelievable - is incredibly real and fragile in a wonderful performance, as long as the classy and subtle Nicole Kidman. Rooney Mara is a short, but very pleasant, add to a great cast. Saroo's search for his biological family is way slower and way less powerful than the tough struggle for survival in the first part. But in the complex, Garth Davis' debut on the big screen is more than successful, and the suggestive cinematography, with a wonderful soundtrack and a genuinely good story, make this movie more than recommended.

7/10 is a democratic average between first and second half of the movie.

Great Story, not a Great Film

[velutha1 · 5/10 · 31 December 2016]

Lion is an a amazing story of an exceptionally lucky child grown up to be a man. Lion is not a great film however. It becomes overbearingly melodramatic and overwrought in the second half. I felt like screaming at the main character, go to India and see your family already! This would have been a good documentary. Spare us the Aussie attempt at angst, it just doesn't work. Here we have a lucky young man with a loving family, all grown up in the "lucky country". What's the problem? He can figure out where to go in India to see his birth village, but we have to endure an hour of film with him being moody around his supportive girlfriend and family. Talk about manufactured drama. The scene with Nicole Kidman and Patel seemed pointless - just a contractual opportunity for her to show off her acting chops and make this sellable overseas. Don't be fooled. This is a great story, but poor filmmaking in my opinion.

A movie with a soul of its own

[bibo-93638 · 9/10 · 15 December 2016]

To put it in simple words, "Lion" is a journey that grabs you entirely ; whether you want it or not, you are a part of each and every scene. Exactly like the hero, you find yourself having visions of a past that you think you have forgotten, you long for something more and you dig for something deeper. This is a journey back home, filled with emotions, hard decisions, and an infinite willingness to reach somewhere safe.. Simple story, dream like sequences and real characters that are aware that "there are no white pages" but that in a way, there is always a black ink somewhere that you can use to finish the endless books that you have in your head. A gem and must see. Highly recommended for the cast's performances, the musical score and the emotional layer that refuses to let you go even after the movie had ended.

Cried for England!

[jochalkie · 10/10 · 16 February 2017]

I first saw Lion on a whim 3 weeks ago and didn't know what to expect as I hadn't even seen the trailer but I was so incredibly moved by Saroo's story that I decided to watch it again 10 days later. It's the kind of film that stays with you hours or even days after you leave the cinema. It's not just an amazing true story but the acting is superb, the musical score haunting and the cinematography stunning. My decision to see it for a second time was partly due to how much I'd enjoyed the film but also in case I'd missed something of importance through all the tears. Well that didn't work out well as I cried even more the second time round as I knew the significance of certain scenes.

All the adult performances were first class especially Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman who shared some very moving scenes together as adult son and adoptive mother but little Sunny Pawar's performance as young Saroo was totally captivating. There isn't much dialogue in the first 45 minutes but his face and especially his eyes perfectly portray his anguish, desperation and loneliness. Unlike some reviewers I enjoyed both distinct halves of the film equally and never lost interest for a moment.

I can't believe for one minute you'll make it through this film emotionally unscathed but if you do then I'm sure the end credits will get you. I don't have anything negative to say about this wonderful film and can't wait for the DVD to be released. I'll finish by using the 2 most used words when reviewing Lion. Take tissues!

Grown Lions Will Cry

[brankovranjkovic · 9/10 · 21 January 2017]

This film is an emotional true story set in the mid 1980's, based on the novel "A long way home". Staring Sonny Pawar as a 5 year old boy "Saroo" from a destitute Indian village. He and his older brother scratch a living selling stolen coal, their mother is a labourer, their lives are extremely tough.

One evening the boys are out looking for work, but they're separated and Saroo falls asleep on a decommissioned train, the train travels without stopping. 2 days later he's 1200 miles from home. The first part of the film follows young Saroo as he tries to survive his new life on the streets.

An orphanage rescue him from begging, scrounging, and living rough. He's adopted by an Australian couple, his new life couldn't be more of a contrast to his original poverty.

The scene jumps 20 years forwards to almost present day, the adult Saroo is now played by Dev Patel, his ambition is to work in hotel management. While studying he learns about a new technology, 'Google Earth', which he uses to view satellite images. Although looking for his village isn't easy and needs extensive searching for obvious landmarks since he has no idea where in the country he's from.

The first half of the film is all set in India and is fabulous in every way - 10/10. The second half is mainly set in Tasmania but loses some atmosphere (IMO).

Stay for the end credits to understand why the film is called "Lion" and also see some photographs of the real people highlighted in the film.

Highly recommended tear-jerker.

An immensely satisfying cinematic experience: visually stunning, narratively powerful, and an emotional whirlwind. Best Aussie film of the year.

[CineMuseFilms · 9/10 · 22 December 2016]

If film-art is the pursuit of visual pleasure, powerful storytelling and high emotional impact, then Lion (2016) is the year's high-water mark for Australian productions. Based on the novel A Long Way Home (2014), this film adaptation is a richly textured essay on the primal human need for belonging that will resonate with anyone who has ever wondered who they are.

This true story is told in two parts and filmed across two continents. Five year-old Saroo is a ragamuffin sidekick to his older brother Guddo, two poor boys who support their family by stealing coal and scavenging trains in their West Bengal village. They become separated one night and Saroo finds himself alone on a train heading to the other side of India. He he joins hordes of homeless children 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, Sue (Nicole Kidman) and John (David Wenham). Twenty years on, Saroo (Dev Patel) begins to have memory flashbacks of his native land. As they increase in intensity, he becomes obsessed with finding his family. With some luck and Google maps, the story comes full circle.

There is so much that makes this film stand out. The storytelling is more than engaging: it is so captivating that the two-hour run-time feels like an hour. 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. The camera-work is both expansive and intimate, shifting often from sweeping aerial panoramas of mountainous Indian countryside and tranquil Tasmanian waterways to narrow winding alleys, village markets, and the inner-world of Saroo's turmoil. Some of the most powerful scenes are shot from the eye-level of a terrified lost boy jostled by masses of humanity and the close-ups of Saroo's painful face desperate to know home. The colour palette is exotic, sound track emotionally intense, and the directing finds a rhythm that is almost orchestral.

This film offers an immensely satisfying cinematic experience: visually stunning, narratively powerful, and an emotional whirlwind. It comes at the end of a very mixed year for Australian film, with some of the world's finest produced but many that are less than inspiring. Lion is one of those films that will appeal to everyone and it has a very long after-taste. It easily tops my film year.

Good, but could have been great

[bbewnylorac · 7/10 · 11 February 2017]

The gorgeous cinematography in India, and the astonishingly natural performance of little Sunny Pawar as the lost child Saroo, are worth the price of admission to Lion. As others have said here, the second half of the film, set in Australia, is a let-down. It's almost like another film. In India, Priyanka Bose is fantastic playing Saroo's desperately poor yet very loving and dignified mother, Kamla. And special mention to Abhishek Barate, as Saroo's much loved big brother Guddu, who does his best to work, with Saroo, to scrounge coal from trains to buy food for their family. Guddu might be a thief and a hustler, but he's so loving and affectionate. Barate brings a lot of heart to his scenes and has great chemistry with the child. The scenes where Saroo gets lost, alone, on a cross country train and later in the streets of Calcutta, are beautifully shot, and not excessive in scripting or soundtrack. The child Saroo is not overly cute or streetwise; but he has just enough luck and instinct to survive - I love the scene where he sneaks in to an outdoor shrine at night and steals some food offerings (after making the prayer sign) while everyone is sleeping. When he arrives in Tasmania and meets his new adoptive parents, the Brierleys, (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) I got the feeling they had no idea what Saroo had gone through, which they couldn't have. And the Brierleys' second adopted son, also an Indian orphan, is even more traumatised, although we never find out what his story is. But once we switch to the adult Saroo, the movie almost comes to a halt in its pacing. Dev Patel is quite good as adult Saroo, (although to me he doesn't resemble the boy Saroo), and his Australian accent is great. The trouble, I think, is the script, which is overly angsty, at the expense of advancing the plot. For Saroo to find an obscure village in India, using just his childhood memories and Google Earth, is a thrilling idea, but it's not well portrayed in the movie. For too many scenes, Saroo simply surfs the online maps, or moves pins around a paper map, but mostly he gets angry and frustrated and morose in his flat. And then one day, as though guided by a supernatural force, his computer mouse is directed to an obscure region of India, and in a few seconds, he's found his family home. I find this unbelievable. Maybe in real life he discovered things bit by bit, and that was impossible to portray on film? The search could have been portrayed in a more diverse way. Didn't he ask around at the orphanage he was brought to as a child? Weren't there some language and cultural clues he could have asked people about? Even the food. Couldn't he have brainstormed with his Indian student friends in Melbourne? Instead, Saroo is portrayed as working alone, and as mostly looking for the water tower that as a child he saw next to a railway station. But as a friend points out, there are many water towers in India near railway stations. Possibly thousands? The character of Saroo's love interest, Lucy (Rooney Mara), comes across as unnecessary and her scenes with Saroo are far too uninteresting. Lion is not a love story - it's the story of a lost child. Ditto Nicole Kidman's scenes. She's not bad, but she's not the focus of the film and she gets too much screen time. So to me, it's a respectable film, but falls short of excellent.

Incredible true story of a tiny needle in a very large haystack

[fvlecmatic · 10/10 · 13 December 2016]

I've seen 104 movies so far in cinemas this year and I was wondering all year long if I will ever see a movie which will truly deserve a 10-star rating. There were movies like Room, Hacksaw Ridge, Me Before You, Sully or Arrival which are all great and therefore received 8 or 9-stars from me. But today I can safely say that I found my 10-star TOP OF THE YEAR movie.

Lion. An incredible true story of a tiny needle in a very large haystack. So powerful. Deeply moving. It's sad yet uplifting. Not going to tell you the plot but you should definitely find a way to watch this one. There are many strong moments in the movie but for me it was the part when you realize what happened to main characters brother and what impact it must have had in real life on their mothers life. As already said: This is a movie based on real events.

This will definitely be an awards contender. I also have to mention the young Sunny Pawar. You will love him. His acting is phenomenal.

Riveting first half but movie loses luster in second half

[paul-allaer · 6/10 · 4 January 2017]

"Lion" (2016 release from Australia; 118 min.) is "based on a true story", we are reminded at the beginning of the film, and brings the incredible story of Saroo. As the movie opens, we are in "Khandwa, India, 1986", and we see 5 yr. old Saroo and his older brother doing whatever they need to do to get by, hustling and bustling. During one of their outings, they get separated and Saroo mistakenly ends up on a train bound for Calcutta, 1000 mi. away. He desperately looks for his mom and his brother, to no avail (for one thing, the boy speaks Hindi and not Bengali), and eventually ends up being adopted by a couple in Tasmania, Australia... To tell you more of the story would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie is the big screen adaptation of Saroo's memoir "A Long Way Home", and is directed by Australian newcomer Garth Davis. The movie can be roughly divided into two parts: in the initial 50 or so minutes, we follow the young Saroo as he gets separated from his family and eventually ends up in Calcutta. The second half of the movie brings us the grown-up Saroo, now fully integrated in Hobart, Tasmania in his adopted family. I personally LOVED the first half of the movie, which is truly heartbreaking as we follow young Saroo. There is little dialogue to speak of (remember, Saroo doesn't speak or understand Bengali), and in a way this is the truest survivor story you will ever see. The young actor portraying 5 yr. old Saroo is nothing short of sensational. The photography is gorgeous throughout. Things are not nearly as interesting in the movie's second half. Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire; Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) portrays the grown-up Saroo, and does so with pained passion. The same cannot be said of Rooney Mara's performance. I love most of the stuff she does, but here she looks strangely aloof in the proceedings, like she wasn't interested at all in this role (other than it being filmed on location in Tasmania). Nicole Kidman plays the adoptive mother. And am I the only one who was bothered with the way the movie becomes one long advert for Google Earth? On the plus side, there is an outstanding orchestral score, courtesy of Hauschka (!) and Dustin O'Halloran which I intend on seeking out (the movie also features a brand new Sia song "Never Gives Up" which plays over the end credits). A few weeks ago I heard an interview on NPR with the real life Saroo, discussing the film (and unfortunately giving away the entire story including how it all ends). Despite that, I was eager to see the movie.

"Lion" opened at the Toronto International Film Festival to good critical acclaim, and it finally opened in theaters in late December. The New Year's weekend matinée screening where I saw this at was attended quite nicely. I thought that the first half of the movie was nothing short of riveting, if heartbreaking, but the second half of the movie is too obvious and predictive too keep my attention all the way through. Still, this is an incredible story that is worth seeking out, be it in the theater, on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

Gripping and compelling

[fionarussell-39478 · 10/10 · 16 October 2016]

This film was for me one of the most gripping and compelling films I have ever watched. Nothing was dragged out the whole film was to the point and from the moment it started to the moment it finished I was engrossed with the story. I found it emotionally harrowing but went to see it with my sister during the BFI film festival which I think made the emotional side harder as you could relate to the pain you would feel if it were to happen to you, afterwards we both walked home in silence still playing it over in our heads. Also true praise for the composer the soundtrack was exceptional - so beautifully written and in perfect harmony with the film. A truly exceptional film, this story will stay with me forever. The casting, the story, the cinematography and the amazing music was done perfectly and I actually cannot fault this film. It was truly mind blowing and makes you appreciate how lucky you are to have whatever it is you have In a seriously humbling way. If you appreciate good film, this one, is a must.

Let's be frank about this...

[mallaverack · 6/10 · 15 February 2017]

This is not a great movie - its faults are there for all to see.

So why so many gushing reviews and 10 star ratings? Primarily, I think many reviewers are confusing the great heart-warming story being depicted and the actual qualities of the film. Yes, it is a wonderful story and even more dramatic when considering the fate of young Saroo's brother. But this was a film with two distinct parts and apart from the climax of Saroo's reunion with his mother, the second part was very low-key film-making.

Nicole Kidman played her part well (apart from the most annoying monologue which was delivered in barely a whisper) but hardly 15-20 minutes on screen must surely disqualify her from any Oscar consideration. Her on-screen husband played by David Wenham appeared on screen for seemingly less than 10 minutes with no hope of any true characterization being offered. The adopted brother of Saroo was emotionally and mentally handicapped, yet we know nothing of his plight once again, through lack of exploring character. The inclusion of Roony Mara as Saroo's love interest in the second half of the film appeared almost pointless. Her presence did almost zilch for plot development and it makes you wonder why the producers went to such expense in casting her in the first place.

This second 'Australian' section of the film displayed some lovely bush and seaside settings but really paled in comparison to the exceptional performance of Sunny Pawar as young Saroo in the first half of the movie. To be honest, apart from the pertinent facial expressions, Dev Patel had little to do and less to say. The reputation of this film gains its notoriety almost wholly from the search and final reunion of mother and son in India but the lack of character development, a very average script and the inclusion of too much filler material has resulted in an overall disappointing film

One of 2016's Best Films

[Michael_Elliott · 8 February 2017]

Lion (2016)

**** (out of 4)

A young boy named Saroo (Sunny Pawar) goes with his older brother for a job when he becomes lost and before long he's thousands of miles away from his home. He's eventually taken off the streets of India and given to adopted parents (Nicole Kidman, David Wenham) who raise him. Twenty-five years later Saroo (Dev Patel) starts wondering what happened to his brother and mother and tries to find them.

Garth Davis' LION is certainly one of the best films of 2016 and it's really amazing to see it all unfold. Going into the picture I actually knew very little about it other than its central story so the journey that the lead character goes on is quite remarkable to watch and it's even more amazing to see how well-balanced the film was and how emotional it all plays out.

I think the most impressive thing for me was the first hour as we see the young Saroo getting separated from home, the horrors of being that young and alone and then him trying to survive the streets before being adopted. The film certainly tries to get a point across about homeless children in India and the film can get this across without any preaching. Instead, it really does show you how scary a world would be to a child lost in it.

What makes that first sequence even greater is the fact that Pawar is so wonderful in the film. His performance here has to go down as one of the greatest that you're ever going to see from a child actor and there wasn't a single moment where you feel as if you're watching an actor. The performance is so fresh and so raw that you really feel as if you're watching a documentary. The supporting cast is terrific as well. Patel really packs an emotional punch with his strong performance and Rooney Mara, Kidman and Wenham all doing great work.

LION features a terrific music score, some very good cinematography and there's no question that the screenplay hits all the right marks as the story plays itself out.

Average

[Johnmen1999 · 5/10 · 13 February 2017]

I found this movie to be average. Starting off with two boys on a coal train, stealing coal, it seemed like the film was going to be similar to Slumdog Millionaire, but while the film takes some familiar themes- child poverty, parenting in third-world countries, and living in a country with an enormous population like India- it is an entirely different film. The first half of the film is very good, set in India as young Pawar puts in a fantastic performance as he wanders around looking for his brother and mother, but the second half is just awful. Set in Tasmania, Australia, the film gets boring very, very quickly as we are introduced to a character 20 years later who is going to Melbourne to study and seems to be happy, then abruptly his life starts unraveling, he suddenly has this yearning desire to find out what happened to the family he left behind in India some 20 years ago. There is a scene with his foster mother in Australia that made me physically cringe as Nicole Kidman goes off on a tangent about how she had a "vision" that could have been interpreted as a "mental breakdown" and saw two brown boys and knew that this was her calling in life...Dev Patel also has a foster brother that he is wildly inconsistent with in his relationship. One minute he hates him, he's ruined his mother's life, the next he loves him. The whole half in Australia just ruined the film for me. We all know he will and needs to go back to India, but instead he spends his time getting upset at his girlfriend, quitting his job and avoiding his parents. There is a general feeling of: why doesn't he just go back to India and look for them for goodness sake? So he can finally find the clarity he's looking for? His sudden desire to find his family in India is so bizarre as he seems content then boom at mid- twenties, he needs to go back, its perplexing. Perhaps the first half and the ending when he finally returns to India makes the film worth watching, but the second half was intolerable and ruined what was a extremely promising first half.