Review of Lion (2015) by Matt G — 08 Feb 2017

Our society is flooded with think-pieces about the migration of people from one country to another. Still, we rarely get a thorough glimpse of what a person who makes this trek goes through, losing connection to their blood and culture. Lion, a purely human film that quietly draws you into the true-story of a lost Indian boy adopted by an Australian couple (Kidman, Wenham), provides us with a harrowing tale of discovery & rediscovery. A gentle epic about the mistakes we make in family & love, and the second-chances we long for.

In the first half, we're introduced to 5-year-old Saroo, a financially-impoverished but family-rich boy lost thousands of miles away from his home. The world is never so overwhelming as through the eyes of a lost child; that perspective is our tour guide here. We are rarely given information outside of his naïve ignorance, allowing mystery and fear to bloom up in unexpected places. Even his eventual life-saving adoption by a kind Australian couple is blanketed in confusing culture shock (expensive houses, nice transportation). Pawar is perfectly casted, his sweet voice and heavy eyes perfectly capturing the complexity with which we try and reconcile his new privileges with his stunned sadness.

In the second half, Saroo (Patel) is 25-years-older & more accustomed to his Western life, though still longing for a connection to his past. Some of the complexity fades here: the dialogue is more awkward, the side-characters are less-natural, and the narrative is clumsily pushed along. Still, the performances are strong, the score is gorgeous, and the story is enveloping. Lion is a gracious tearjerker that makes you wanna go out, live life and cling tight to the ones you love.