Lion (2016) - Review

Lion, oddly enough, is based on a book entitled, "A Long Way Home," about the true story of how an Indian boy named Saroo (Sunny Pawar as a child, Dev Patel as an adult) became lost, faced some hardships in West Bengal, gets adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham), and attempts to find the family he lost about 20 years ago. This story has a similar set-up to Slumdog Millionaire which also starred Dev Patel, only his character's story is told in chronological order and there's no game show segment anywhere.

First off, I'll say that I like this kind of heartfelt story when it is from the perspective of a foreign character, real or fiction. Another great example I can think of is one of my favorite books, "The Kite Runner," where an Afghan man seeks redemption from his childhood friend. I just find something very inspiring about a person from another country going through rough times and overcoming obstacles to find happiness in whatever form. 

Also, the performances are really good especially from the two actors who play Saroo. Sunny Pawar, who plays young Saroo, does a remarkable job portraying a boy with a loving brother and mother and gets lost where he stands alone against some misfortunes that a lot of Indian kids go through. Dev Patel also gives a top notch performance as the adult Saroo. His acting when he's at the last steps of his journey to find his family truly shines. Also noteworthy are Nicole Kidman as Saroo's adoptive mother and Rooney Mara as Lucy whom Saroo becomes romantically involved with. 

Overall, Lion is a beautiful film with nice cinematography and notable performances. I appreciate the makers for not just showing this one man's unbelievable journey, but also helping other Indian children through the movie and various organizations to find their home/family.

RATING: STRONG APPROVAL