Reviews & Ratings for
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94 out of 113 people found the following review useful:

Truly Exceptional

Author: jvcksonsmth
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.

77 out of 87 people found the following review useful:

Not just another Oscar bait movie

Author: moviewizguy from United States
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.

67 out of 79 people found the following review useful:

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

Author: FelixFelicis from Toronto, Canada
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!

60 out of 70 people found the following review useful:

Couldn't stop crying

Author: Ian Young from San Diego
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.

52 out of 65 people found the following review useful:

This Film has Oscars written all over it

Author: apioneer from United States
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

35 out of 42 people found the following review useful:

Such a powerful film!

Author: Josh Barton from United Kingdom
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.

35 out of 46 people found the following review useful:

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

Author: Fvlecmatic from Slovakia
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.

35 out of 47 people found the following review useful:

Gripping and compelling

Author: fionarussell-39478 from London
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.

31 out of 40 people found the following review useful:

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

Author: CineMuseFilms from Sydney
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.

24 out of 36 people found the following review useful:

A movie with a soul of its own

Author: bibo-93638 from United States
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.

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