Lion Movie Review (2016)
Based on a true story about a young man searching for the home he lost as a child, Lion is a deeply moving film, with fantastic performances and an unforgettable ending.
There are some movies that stay with you after you’ve watched them. In the same way that your heart grows in the ability to love every child that you have, to a lesser extent, I feel that way about movies. I can never pick a favorite, but I can pick five favorites if you give me a genre. There are so many that have moved me, that live in the catalog of my heart, that choosing one would be impossible. So here is one more of my favorites.
Lion is the story of real-life Saroo Brierley. Born into poverty and living with his mother, younger sister, and older brother in India, the young and happy Saroo gets stuck on an empty train one night and travels for days. When he is finally released, he has to fend for himself on the streets until he is picked up by a children’s home. Not knowing his last name and unable to find the town Ganestalay, where he believes he lives, he is ultimately adopted by Sue and John Brierley and moves to Australia. Years later, he begins to have flashbacks of his childhood and develops a deep obsession with finding out where he is from and what happened to his birth family.
I love this movie. It is the kind of film that carries you along on gentle waves until you are suddenly thrust into the sadness and desperation of adult Saroo. But it is understandable, and you want for him almost as much as he wants for himself.
The first half of the film is about young Saroo’s life. He is a quiet and observant little boy, clearly wise beyond his years. He goes through a lot, and while you have immense empathy, you are also impressed. You hope for him, and you want this child to be okay.
The second half of the film is about twenty-something Saroo, as he really begins to yearn to figure out the mysteries of his childhood. He has no idea where he is from or what his last name was. He has no clue how far he traveled on the train, but with the new Google Earth technology, the bits of memory could be helpful.
Whenever I watch Lion, a few things happen to me. First, I cannot believe what a beautiful child Sunny Pawar (as young Saroo) is. His eyes hold so much sweetness and love, but he is also wary. He doesn’t have to speak to get his thoughts and feelings across. I could watch that little boy all day.
Second, I remember how much I love the casting of this film. In addition to Pawar (who carries the entire first half of Lion), Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Abhishek Bharate, and Nicole Kidman create a lovely space you want to be part of.
Third, I cry. Every single time, I cry at the end. And it’s not just a single tear, I ugly cry. I can’t help it. The end of this movie, followed by the real-life footage, gets me. It is so heartwrenching and bittersweetly satisfying, I just weep.
If you are anything like me, you will want to read a little more about the real Saroo Brierley and what has happened in his life, so I encourage you to do that. The book A Long Way Home, on which this film is based, is available to read, and there are a number of videos and articles, but I keep coming back to this movie. Because even if some of it is fictionalized, the essence is real, and I can’t get enough of it.
Runtime: 118 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Absolutely, every time I watch it
My Rating: 4.75/5 Stars
Available: Free on Netflix, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
