In the interest of getting “hard” copies of my work under one roof, I plan to spend the next few weeks posting the entire archive of my film journalism here on ScullyVision. With due respect to the many publications I’ve written for, the internet remains quite temporary, and I’d hate to see any of my work disappear for digital reasons. As such, this gargantuan project must begin! I don’t want to do it. I hate doing it. But it needs to be done. Please note that my opinions, like everyone’s, have changed a LOT since I started, so many of these reviews will only represent a snapshot in time. Objectivity has absolutely no place in film criticism, at least not how I do it.
It would be inaccurate to call Lion Oscar-bait, but all of the signs are there. It’s the type of movie that Oscar-bait movies helplessly try to imitate, but end up lacking the soul, the thoroughness, the density, to hide their hand. Sure, Lion tugs at the heart using all of the tried and true methods, but never does it feel manipulative or empty. It offers a window into two worlds separate from my experience, and it uses each to rip my heart out, hug it, and then put it back. I imagine that anyone who is adopted may find themselves utterly wrecked by Lion.
Added bonus: Dev Patel is so so so so sooooooo good (as always).
Lion plays like two separate movies. The first follows a young Indian boy named Saroo (Sunny Pawar, the most adorable human ever to exist). He lives with his mother and older brother in a small mining village. There isn’t much to go on by way of amenities, and those who are strong enough to work are made to do so at a very young age. One night, Saroo convinces his brother to let him tag along on a train ride to a work site. Being only 5 years old, Saroo falls asleep and becomes separated from his sibling. After riding the rail as far as it goes, he finds himself in Calcutta, thousands of miles away from home. He’s unable to speak the local dialect and ends up living on the streets. Eventually he is placed in an orphanage (an only slightly better situation than street life), where he is soon adopted by a well-off Australian family.
The second movie follows an adult Saroo (Dev Patel, who is so so so awesome), as he begins his college career. He’s come a long way from his roots, and is now a well adjusted man. He’s been “Australianized” if such a thing exists, and is very grateful of the life he’s been thrust into. Until one day when a rogue sensory stimulation awakens a childhood memory, unlocking Saroo’s desire to find his real family. This results in him driving a wedge between he and his adoptive parents (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham), whom he fears may take offense to his quest. Saroo uses intuition, Google Earth, and pure luck in an attempt to find his way home to a disconnected village of which he doesn’t even know the name.
Lion is an actor’s piece, relying on strong performances rather than visual gymnastics to draw us in. Much like director Garth Davis’ previous work on the excellent television drama, Top of the Lake, this isn’t concerned with flair so much as it’s concerned with juxtaposing the fantastical realism of a child’s viewpoint against that of the harsh real world. Within this world the actors do wonders — Nicole Kidman’s best performance in a decade.
Rooney Mara, as Saroo’s love interest, feels a bit miscast, but brings in a great performance, nonetheless. Atypically for Mara, she’s much more lighthearted than in previous work. Maybe this is my own baggage, though. I really only see her playing intense, terse characters (although for different reasons in each role), and it’s hard to view her as a happy-go-lucky college student. Still, her chemistry with Patel is natural and real, which makes it electrifying.
Natural and real. Those are the words to describe Lion. Those are the words we so rarely attribute to Oscar-bait. I like this brand of Oscar-bait much better.
Of all the “based on a true story” films from this years, Lion is easily my favorite. And if the ending doesn’t move you, I don’t trust you.
The film does not end with Katy Perry’s Roar. What can you do?
Lion opens in Philly theaters today.
