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Lion
U/A (INDIA)
2017
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Lion
Positive Reviews
227
Negative reviews
27
Average Rating
3.6
/5
emotional
incredible
beautiful
australian
appealing
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Positive
Negative
4.5
Aside from one slightly underserved relationship and the film drifting a tad in the second half, Lion eloquently handles this incredible multi layered ..
Keith & the Movies
2.0
Davis deftly conveys the desolation of Saroos situation without wallowing in it, and Pawar gives a terrific performance.
Av Club
4.5
Youll try your best to hold back the tears, only to find yourself incapable of not being thoroughly moved by Saroos journey.
Den Of Geek
3.0
type Movie Current Status In Season mpaa PG 13 runtime 120 minutes release date 11/25/16 director Garth Davis We gave it a B Lion is one true story bu ..
EW
4.4
Then, before you know it, tear ducts will be brimming and your entire being will be awash with incredible joy but also a splash of bittersweet sorrow.
Rogerebert
4.0
This is definitely the movies low point, and it lasts a bit too long, but eventually everything picks up again.
Common Sense Media
3.0
Its an exciting tale of loss and confusion until it falls into a series of familiar beats.
Indie Wire
3.5
While unique, Saroos story is somewhere between the guy who found a lottery scratcher worth fifty bucks and the farmer who prayed for rain and got it.
Variety
3.0
Can Lion hold steady for two hours worth of transplanted drama, though
We Got This Covered
2.0
Its a drastic misstep that ruins whatever chance Lion had of doing justice to a fascinating true story.
Time Out
4.0
But the flagging pace is temporary and the emotional swell of the climax is what we take from the film.
The Guardian
4.0
This big hearted film does full justice to the horror, the pathos and the drama of his postmodern odyssey.
The Guardian
3.0
Its refreshing to see the complications of a mixed racial identity brought to the screen. It might never roar but its still a fierce contender.
The Guardian
3.1
Lions faults of structure and pacing might limit its power, but in stretches it still roars.
3.8
Where the first half of the movie is a nail biter, as Saroo teeters on the edge of danger, barely escaping multiple adults with nefarious intentions, ..
4.0
Fittingly, with its Indian roots, Lion has a strongly spiritual element.
Screen Daily
4.5
Sad yet uplifting, frightening yet inspirational, Lion breaks your heart into a thousand pieces and puts them back together in the end.
ETimes (TOI)
3.0
This, despite the fact that the film has a premier cast and a hot topic.
ETimes (TOI)
2.5
I dont hate Lion, but I dont particularly like it either.For all of the emotional uplift of Saroos journey, its a movie that left me oddly cold.
Collider
4.5
But theres no denying the swelling emotions of the final act, or remaining dry eyed during the characters joyous reunion.
The Hollywood Reporter
3.0
Its a tonally imperfect film thats nonetheless ideal for holiday viewing, a respite from Rogue One perhaps, or simply an exciting, old school explorer ..
3.5
The first part of Lion, Garth Daviss unabashedly tear jerking movie about a remarkable real world incident, has some of the scary, wondrous feeling of ..
The New York Times
3.4
Lion earns our unabashed blubbering not simply through its design but rather through the organic nature of its material.
Paste Magazine
4.2
This is half the movie, but it feels like it needs to be a much larger tale.
IGN
4.0
But the one in Lion, involves no one youve ever heard of, doesnt star a soul youll recognise for its first 40 minutes, and will rip you into a thousan ..
Telegraph
4.0
When Guddu heads off on a search for work that will take him away for days, Saroo insists he is old enough to help and Guddu reluctantly agrees to tak ..
4.0
You look up and find yourself in a towering forest of unknown adults and youve never felt more lost, alone, vulnerable and scared.
4.0
There isnt quite enough for Lion to sustain tension over the course of its complete run time.
Cinema Blend
4.0
As usual for Oscar fare, LION is beautifully composed, with gorgeous cinematography by ZERO DARK THIRTYs Grieg Fraser, and running just a hair over tw ..
JoBlo
3.8
First time Australian director Garth Davis offers sweeping cinematic shots, with a soundtrack that is pleasingly epic, but the second act is a bit ski ..
The Globe And Mail
4.4
If the final scenes dont have you blubbering, your humanity may need some fine tuning.
Philly
5.0
Lion is one of the Most Spiritually Literate Films of 2016 because it provides a workshop for empathy or seeing the world through the eyes of others.
Spirituality And Practice
3.0
Grown up Saroos search takes up the remainder of Lion, and you can be left to imagine how it ends.
One Guys Opinion
4.5
Commercial filmmaking still fumbles interiority and moral complexity.
Village Voice
4.4
But thanks to the miracle of modern technology and the magic of movie memory, its the feel good movie of the holidays.
Rogers Movie Nation
3.8
Lion represents a commitment from those involved and, flaws aside, its an amazing tale of resilience and determination.
ReelViews
3.0
Davis makes a pretty picture, and his eye for casting is impressive, with the ensemble contributing deeply felt performances that support the lengthy ..
Blu Ray
2.5
Lion (2016) 2 Stars (out of 4) Tweet Mane Streets By Jeffrey M. Anderson Lion is middlebrow mediocrity served up by the Weinsteins on a silver platter ..
Combust Ible Celluloid
4.0
This unabashedly emotional drama is based on a memoir by Saroo Brierley, who was only five when he got separated from his family in rural India and ul ..
Chicago Reader
3.8
Its a story that could be filled with an assortment of manipulative moments and techniques, but director Garth Davis and screenwriter Luke Davies tell ..
Mark Reviews Movies
2.0
After a train journey, Guddu leaves sleepy Saroo on the train station platform, admonishing the boy stay put and wait until he gets back.
4.4
But Lions well plotted narrative and thoughtful characters suck you in so much that the journey there is totally worth it.
Usa Today
3.1
The directionless bent of Jaswinskis screenplay paves the way for a midsection thats rife with irrelevant and inconsequential detours, and it does, as ..
Reel Film Reviews
3.3
I dont think Ive ever seen a movie thats this much about the experience of adoption and the relation between adoptive parents and adopted children...i ..
You Tube
4.5
I felt like the directing was understated...just trying its best to tell a good story, and to communicate as effectively as possible. Its a great movi ..
You Tube
2.0
I knew she had an arresting, mannered helium purr, but this is extraordinary, an absurd performance.
The Times
4.0
A deeply empathetic performance from Dev Patel and an unflinching view of child poverty on the streets of Calcutta provide a winning edge to Lion, a f ..
The Times
3.0
I hope this part of the story is true, and not overblown.I also wonder if this is an exercise in political correctness.
Lariat
3.0
First time feature director Garth Davis jangles the nerves with these early scenes, but dont fret.
Eric Ds Nider
2.0
Davis and screenwriter Luke Davies aggressively strum the heartstrings, but the film falters as it focuses more on product placement than people.
News Review
3.0
In making an action film on the strength of a formulaic story, Satyadev flounders when it comes to treatment.
indiaglitz
4.0
The set up is exhilarating, but the pay off not so much Google maps and train timetables may well provide the key to finding the way home, but its har ..
Radio Times
4.0
A far more severe variation of that sort of experience is at the heart of and serves as the jumping off point in Lion, a superb drama based on a real ..
Screen It
3.0
The film is moving enough in its own terms but lacks the depth and complexity that might have been expected.
Independent
3.8
Dev Patel doesnt appear until nearly an hour into Lion but when he does his strong, soulful, Oscar buzzed performance cuts deep.The film is based on S ..
Rolling Stone
3.5
Its probably the most understated, nuanced performance Kidman has given in years.
The Wrap
3.8
That self contained saga is so overwhelmingly intense that the rest of the film has a hard time matching it.
News Day
4.0
Fortunately, Patel proves quite capable of keeping up the adult Sarros irresistible charm and magnetism.
Film Journal
3.8
Borrowing the star and much of the atmosphere of an earlier movie set in India, Lion doesnt have nearly the same impact, as agreeable and bighearted a ..
New York Post
3.5
At times sentimental but never maudlin, Lion is an inspiring slice of life odyssey.
Hindustan Times
5.0
When someone tells you a truth you do not want to hear, it is not uncommon to lash out in anger. There is confusion, there is shame, there is embarras ..
Hindustan Times
4.4
Lion is not an easy journey, but it is a thoughtful, worthwhile and ultimately inspiring experience.
Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
3.5
I wont say how or why; this is simply to serve as a notice that you should not skip out early.There is plenty to enjoy throughout Garth Davis film, ba ..
Az Central
3.8
Rarely does a film plotting the Internet amount to much more than a series of glowing screens.
Toronto Star
3.8
Scripted by Luke Davies from Saroos 2013 memoir A Long Journey Home, Lion hits a lot of familiar beats and moves along the expected dramatic ups and d ..
Q Network
3.0
I dont always warm to such big, impersonation driven performances but bear in mind two things.
Daily Mail
5.0
That might be partly or even largely because of its personal resonance.Whatever the case, I have no hesitation in bestowing five stars.
Daily Mail
1.5
But instead, Lion goes again and again where you expect it to, delivering little more than the awards season equivalent of Homeward Bound.
Slate
4.0
It is a hugely emotional film but one that earns those tears rather than crassly begging for them.
Flim List
2.0
Conclusion Lion is a good film if you consider the engaging first half, and the emotional finale.
Film Inquiry
3.0
So I should have seen it coming when a wave of drowsiness overwhelmed me about twenty minutes into the film (more so because I did not have time to br ..
Film Inquiry
4.5
It may not be the overwhelming conclusion that sweeps us away, but it is in keeping with Davis subtle style.
5.0
Once in awhile, a movie comes along that is so touching and sincere, without a moment of false emotion or manipulative self indulgence, that it establ ..
Observer
4.0
While the performances will wow you, watch Lion for its beautiful story.
Book My Show
3.5
As is proved by documentary footage at the end, Garth Daviss film is based on a true story; though wrenching, there is barely enough of it to fill the ..
New Yorker
3.5
Its a place that manages to seem lush with color despite the presence of so much poverty.
Time
4.0
Lion movie director: Garth Davis Advertising Lion movie cast: Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, Abhishek Bharate, Priyanka Bose, Dav ..
The New Indian Express
4.0
It is still a stirring tale of loss, love and family.Just make sure you have a supply of hankies at the ready.
Express
3.0
That said, the climax is moving, especially the final frames of genuine footage of the real life mothers meeting one another in 2013.Lion may not roar ..
Express
2.0
This is no doubt a fascinating story to tell in Lion, but the potential is never met.
The Film Stage
3.1
Lion is shameless and heartfelt and youll probably have a good, happy cry at the end.
Boston Globe
4.5
Why couldnt the character just drink a Mello Yello.So this is a no win situation inside my brain.
Uproxx
4.0
If you dont blub at the end, you may wish to secede from the human species.
The Irish Times
4.5
But theres no denying the swelling emotions of the final act, or remaining dry eyed during the characters joyous reunion.
Hollywood Reporter
4.0
The films finale might feel a tad familiar, but Lion is ultimately an excellent example of its typea resonant true story told, not with manipulative c ..
The Atlantic
4.0
The boy is almost certainly about to be raped but the film makers dont labour the point.Theres simply no time to grieve.
Standard
3.0
Lion is a mediocre movie that should have been a good one. That still doesnt mean you shouldnt see it...
Coles Mithey
3.0
Though a clunky ride that includes stops that are far from scenic, Lion is an emotional rollercoaster, delivering exhilarating highs and dizzying lows ..
Pajiba
1.5
But once Lions cant miss conclusion hovers into view, the films periodic over dramatization matters less.
Los Angeles Times
2.0
Lion treads touchy feely waters, but first time filmmaker Garth Davis never lets sentimentality take over.
Detroit News
3.5
The romantic subplot doesnt work mostly because there isnt much time to explore it but its a fascinating theme to delve into.
Firstpost
4.4
The final fifteen minutes of Lion pay off Saroos journey in a manner that really tugs your heartstrings.
Aisle Seat
5.0
Lion is one of the years finest achievements and a top contender for Best Picture and Best Director.
Forbes
3.5
LION OPENS IN CINEMAS ON JANUARY 19 Originally published as An uplifting tale of a boy lost and found
Herald Sun
4.0
Most importantly of all, though the final scenes of Lion arrive at a destination we have been expecting all along, their touching sincerity complete S ..
Herald Sun
3.0
Luckily, for its comparatively formulaic tale of an underdog triumphing against incredible odds, Lion plays its notes to surprising effect.
Consequence Of Sound
2.5
The trite tropes are thick but Saroos drama remains undramatized and we remain mostly unmoved.
Nj
4.0
Lion is moving, beautifully shot, and clear eyed about its aims.Its the kind of inspirational movie even a film snob could love.
Vox
3.0
Lions final scenes reap the rewards of providing such a visceral and personal depiction of Saroos journey and the tears feel wholly deserved.
Hey U Guys
3.0
Unfortunately, these notions are given a surface treatment, in a drama that dulls its complexity with a neatly told narrative in which its emotions ar ..
The Play List
3.0
I could easily have watched another hour of this, especially since the young Pawar is such an expressive actor.Inevitably, the latter half feels like ..
Now Toronto
4.5
In Lion, Patel sheds his tendency to play his characters broadly. But Pawar easily eclipses his efforts.
Scroll
1.5
Lion is This Years Empty Oscar Bait Manipulative, predictable, and vanilla.
Film School Rejects
4.5
But despite his happy childhood, the adult Saroo (Dev Patel is truly extraordinary here, hitting nearly every emotional point on the map) feels consta ..
Film Ink
2.0
Approximately the first half of Lion offers a scenario as terrifying as anything in any recent horror movie short of actual death.
Ner Dist
3.0
Its a slow, steady ride into exile and Pawars terrific, naturalistic performance evokes the panic and then incomprehension of leaving behind the littl ..
The Age
4.0
Like Sully, this is a 90 minute film that revolves around a few fateful seconds.
Games Radar
3.0
The seasons warm fuzzy at multiplexes is Lion, a true story inspiring two movies in one.
Tamp A Bay
4.0
Garth Davis deeply moving directorial debut Lion is about as uplifting as a film can get, without ever feeling emotionally manipulative.
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
2.0
No nonsense storytelling is usurped by the queasy spectacle of hugging, crying and bizarre facial nuzzling.
Lw Lies
4.0
Despite this, Lion is a beautiful and moving film made all the more compelling because it is a true story .. make sure to bring your tissues.
Nz Herald
4.0
Yes, Lion may be an uplifting story of one mans determination and hope, a story of compassion and the importance of being connected, but its one heck ..
Nz Herald
1.5
LION (Official trailer) A five year old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home.
Kansas City
4.0
Lion is an astounding, all encompassing story of hope, determination and dumb luck that will leave you both crying like a baby and clapping like a sea ..
Flicks
3.8
Once hes off the train, Saroo realizes that hes hopelessly lost and unable to tell the authorities where he lives.
Stl Today
3.0
Despite grossly overselling the movies ending, Lion ends up as an emotionally satisfying and ultimately a warm and well told international adventure o ..
Cleve Land
2.0
Director Garth Davis and screenwriter Luke Davies throw all the soap suds at the story.
Ft
4.0
Beasts belt out tunes new and old in a funny animation that will amuse younger kids of both sexes and keep adult feet tapping throughout.
Independent Ie
4.5
The India scenes, the India cast, everyone involved is spot on, especially young Sunny Pawar.
Stuff
4.5
If youre a Westerner, youre likely to think of Slumdog Millionaire, but Daviss eye is grittier than Danny Boyles was in depicting Indian street life.
Film Racket
3.8
Considering the high emotions involved in the real life story on which Lion is based, its even more remarkable that the movie proceeds with as much ta ..
Larsen On Film
3.5
Its an earnest but not cloying film, one that seems wise about the world and its alternately grim and encouraging complexity.Oh, and the reveal of the ..
Vanity Fair
5.0
Lion may be inextricably linked to the details of contemporary life in one sense, but its final scenes have a power that goes far beyond it.
The Arts Desk
3.0
Revival of Shaw classic is a tour de force for near miraculous Arterton
The Arts Desk
5.0
While its certainly a monster of a tear jerker, its also an absolute joyous crowd pleaser that manages to avoid being a cliche and instead completely ..
The Sun
5.0
The revolutionary imagery of Google Earth has turned into a ho hum trope of action adventure movies, where everyones movements are tracked in zoomingl ..
Wsj
4.0
Patel brilliantly portrays a young man adrift in a sea of uncertainty towards his identity, haunted by a past he barely survived and guilt ridden over ..
Matts Movie Reviews
4.0
Lion is not your traditional sweeping epic.Its a deeply moody and artistically crafted film that takes its time to unravel onscreen.
FilmFare
3.0
However, your tears will dry quickly because this mangy Lion is nothing but a paper tiger.
Patriot Ledger
3.8
1 of 3 View Caption In this image released by The Weinstein Company, Dev Patel appears in a scene from Lion.
Sltrib
3.0
Lion deserves its best picture nod despite getting very schmaltzy towards the end.
Scmp
3.0
Its hard not to feel a tingle down your spine as the films reaches its climax.
The Film Pie
4.4
Lion is a beautifully told, uplifting story of courage and determination.
Chicago Sun Times
3.0
Lion plays safe more often than necessary, but it definitely roars when it counts.
Punch Drunk Critics
4.0
By the time we learn the meaning of the films title, emotional catharsis has come and then some.In his first movie Garth Davis has taken an unbelievab ..
Cinemix Tape
4.0
But by the films climax even if you know how it will end viewers should be a blubbering mess.
Straits Times
4.0
That it all actually happened gives Lion great power, and audiences will be hard pressed to hold back the tears in this one, yet it never succumbs to ..
Dead Line
4.0
Lion goes beyond the feel good climaxes of its inspirational genre.
Film Comment
2.0
Despite a fascinating premise, a roaring success this certainly isnt.
One Room With A View
3.0
Its a shame, since ideas are what would have enlarged with story the extraordinary situation the film describes.
Sbs
4.5
It also sends the audience on an epic adventure.The Weinstein Company opened Lion on November 25th.
Solzy At The Movies
4.4
Lion is a compelling piece of entertainment energetic, absorbing and robustly constructed.
Awards Circuit
3.8
Lion is a triumphant celebration of the beauty of the human spirit.
Awards Circuit
3.0
Instead, it focuses on the readymade universal appeal of emotional globalisation.
The Skinny
4.0
This is the sort of true story that catches you unawares, even if you know (or think you know) where its going.
Scots Man
3.8
The first half of Lion is powerfully compelling, the second problematic.But its the journey that counts.
Post Gazette
3.0
The kind of film that roars with emotion, even if it isnt always hitting the mark.
Bowling Green Daily News
3.5
And the pleasure of a movie that ends on just about its single strongest note is not to be denied.
Alternate Ending
4.4
Lion has one of those plot lines that feels like a Hollywood screenplay except it actually happened.
Seattle Times
4.5
As if this situation isnt horrible enough for a frightened lost child, Saroo finds himself in the middle of an extremely harsh and crowded big city.
Film Journal International ..
3.0
In Davis effort to court mass appeal, the picture does take a few exciting bold risks.
Fresh Fiction
3.5
Lion is not quite as transparently award seeking as Boyles 2008 pic.
East Bay Express
4.5
Saroo is born in acute poverty but this child carries infectious warmth, one that defines strength of character even at that very young age.
India Today
5.0
Only the most shrivel hearted grinch could watch this Christmas release and not be moved.
Seven Day Svt
2.5
Australian director Garth Davis and writer Luke Davies create an uneven but entertaining film.
Tony Mack
3.0
Where Slumdog Millionaire is a fantastical modern day fairy tale, Lion is a real life story rooted in tragedy and triumph.
Black Girl Nerds
4.4
Lion comes with a tearjerker ending that could have been mawkish if the filmmakers didnt bend over backwards to earn every emotional beat.
National Post
4.5
Garth Davis Lion isnt just an emotional film which will tear you up inside, but also a heartwarming mother son tale that offers a compelling, refreshi ..
News18
4.5
One is as a heart warming tale of love beyond boundaries and the incandescent pull of home.
The National
2.5
Director Garth Davis made this kid shine more than anyone else in the cast bar none.
Rendy Reviews
4.0
With a story this strong, you cant really go wrong and director Garth Davis provides a sure guiding hand with Saroos barely believable story unfolding ..
Sky
4.5
But the best filmmakers know how to work the heart in a way that doesnt feel like youre having surgery, and director Davis isnt quite there.
Third Coast Review
4.0
Lion is a wonderfully inspiring movie with a good cast and is already appearing on voters ballots for awards.
Review Express
3.5
But in the Australian drama Lion we see how technology has changed the plot of movies.
Winnipeg Free Press
4.0
Unless you are an utterly immovable cynic, the Australian melodrama Lion will coax out tears of sadness and of pure joy.
Toronto Sun
3.8
Lion is the dark horse in the Best Picture race, for sure, but is a worthy story captured in a moving and important manner.
Daily Film Fix
4.5
Theres nothing more heart wrenching than little homeless children.
Theepoch Times
3.5
But when his older brother doesnt come back, the bewildered Saroo decides to hop on a train.
Qc Times
3.5
Lion is an emotional film that is worth seeing for its performances and for the incredible story behind it.
5.0
Its incredible that it has taken this long to put an August Wilson play on the screen. This movie redresses that, and its performances are wholly wort ..
Fw Weekly
3.0
While Garth Daviss directorial debut deserves praise for its moving portrayal of how young Saroo became lost, and for giving viewers a satisfying reso ..
Spectrum Culture
4.0
As the final act comes knocking and the imminent reunion inches closer, the movie once again regains its magic; it never manipulates the audience, mas ..
Cairo 360
3.8
Where the first half of the film had power and sweep, the second half is a bunch of Post it notes.In spite of that, and because of Patels electrifying ..
Sf Chronicle
3.8
This is awards season bait aimed straight at your sentimental side that loves a good tearjerker and one which earns most of the tears that it jerks.
Tulsa World
1.5
But that doesnt make it terribly interesting to watch someone use Google Earth for a large chunk of a two hour film.
Battleship Pretension
3.5
The source material is so rich that its easy to forgive Lions small flaws when the film treats its characters with such empathy.
News
3.8
Lion isnt afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve, but refuses to rub it in anyones face.
The Dispatch (Lexington, N ..
3.8
Overall, this is a film well worth seeing, sure to make you cry from sadness and joy in equal measure.
Film Festival Today
4.0
Lion is a powerful, tear jerking examination of identity with leads Sunny Pawar and Dev Patel doing excellent work.Harrow born Dev Patel is the top bi ..
Adelaide Review
3.0
Whereas the first part of Lion is frenetic, heart stopping film and this is what packs the emotional punch.
Battle Royale With Cheese
3.0
Lions India is appropriately sparse.Its less vibrant, colourful and noisy.
Impulse Gamer
3.8
As the protagonist in the first and stronger half, pint sized powerhouse Sunny Pawar wins the hearts and tears ducts of the audience. Hes a tough act ..
Film Forward
4.5
The work of Greig Frasie as director of photography is another point of attention...it is a pleasure to see the use of light for dramatic purposes.
3.0
Where many true family dramas with uplifting elements like this lean in with sentiment, hold your hand scoring, and cushioning tears and smiles, Lion ..
The Film Experience
4.5
It would have been tempting to surrender to the sentimental aspects of this touching story, but Davies and director Davis choose a wiser course: a str ..
Kdhx
5.0
That all but spells out you must be a bad person if you dont love Lion.
Saportare Port
3.8
The film sometimes has no strict thematic focus, but thats fine. Neither does life.
MLive.com
3.1
Director Garth Davis brings a confidence and intimacy to this finale, achieving an earned emotional catharsis free of maudlin trappings.
The Film File
3.1
Nevertheless, the movies earnestness and craft impressed Academy Award voters, who nominated Lion for six Oscars, including Best Picture.
Commercial Appeal
3.0
Lion is a decent telling of this particular story, but its just too long.
Splice Today
3.0
It has good performances from Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar and Nicole Kidman, as well as there is a photographic beauty that reflects indigence with kaleido ..
4.5
Anchored by an impossibly adorable new talent and a familiar face showing new dramatic range, Lion explores the power of memory, technology and the pu ..
L.A. Biz
3.0
I dont think Lion is a great movie but it has great moments, and the heartwarming ending is one of those great moments and the reason that people feel ..
FanboyNation.com
3.0
There are some structural problems with Lion, but the undeniably emotive pulse of the narrative is hard to deny in its final moments.
Patrick Nabarro
5.0
Lion is almost everyones odds on favorite to be considered the tearjerker of the year.To put it the way a colloquial vulgarian might, this is a movie ..
Buffalo News
5.0
The inevitable climax of Lion is strikingly done, joyful and poignant yet without treacle.
Pgh City Paper
3.5
I say this with regret, because the true story it tells is remarkable and its a shame the film is flawed.
Leonard Mal
5.0
His story became the #1 international best seller A Long Way From Home, which is the basis of this extraordinary and very emotional film.This tale alm ..
Dwight Brown Ink
4.0
The youngster wanders on to a train, only for it to start moving.
Herald Scotland
3.0
The film has enough elements to potentiate them and expose a risky story, however, the script fails to go beyond its good intentions.
Enfil Me
4.0
But Lion cant quite find a representational language for the friction between the capabilities of technology and the subjective world of experience.Th ..
Junkee
4.5
A well filmed melodrama that doesnt need to resort to low blows being subtle in the tragic moments.
3.8
By Bob Bloom Lion is a solid movie that, unless you have ice in your veins, will have you wiping tears from your eyes by its final fade out.The movie, ..
Reel Bob
4.5
Hes been Australianized if such a thing exists, and is very grateful of the life hes been thrust into.
3.0
One of the most beautiful and inspiring films of the year, the ones that seem to be thoughtfully detailed to sneak into the award races.
El antepenúltimo mohicano ..
5.0
Knowing this is based on a true story brings an even deeper level of care and love for this young boy whose intelligence brings him success.
Daily Journal
3.0
Overall, while it boasts credible performances, Lion suffers from a poor infrastructure that unfortunately lessens its emotional power.
Flick Feast
5.0
Garth Davis Lion is a multi tasker.Its an Oscar baiting tearjerker, a stranger than fiction true story, and the greatest ad for Google Earth the world ..
Hot Press
4.0
Based on a true story, its a very appealing film, but an oddly shaped one.
Daily Public
4.0
Amplified by the performances from this stellar ensemble cast that affirms and massages each tender emotion with subtle, but deeply connected moments, ..
Ex Press
4.0
Epic doesnt even begin to describe this mind exploding spectacle.
Movie Reviews Cinemaclips
4.0
Dev Patels performance is noteworthy because it is effectively understated.
Arts Fuse
3.0
But the arguable lead of the film, Lieberher, gives the best performance of the Losers Club by fleshing out a character that isnt given that much of a ..
Smash Cut Reviews
3.5
Lion is.When it comes to visualising a biopic, it would have been so easy to present life and landscapes just as they are but cinematographer Greig Fr ..
Ib Times
2.0
As Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap outlined to us last year, Feel good films dont make the world a better place They just make you feel good about you ..
Four Three Film
3.0
This is a handsomely made and impressively acted drama that tells an undeniably moving story.
I News
4.5
An estimable film, especially during its first hour, and that has sufficient virtues that makes it worth to take a look at it.
3.8
An emotional and well acted film, which ends up giving a valuable message about child abuse in India, showing us real images of Saroo and his family.
Cinencuentro
3.0
Two hours of nihilistic, non stop violence with barely a plot and one of the most annoying music scores of all time.
Pasadena Weekly
4.5
A film with a very simple and traditional structure, and seizes the emotions of the viewer from the beginning.
Excelsior
4.5
An emotional film that will make the viewer shed a tear, without being manipulative.
Excelsior
4.5
Its a gorgeous cinematic travelogue with magnificent footage of India and Australia.
Womens Voices For Change
2.0
This animated film also features voice performances by Scarlett Johansson and Reese Witherspoon.
Sd City Beat
4.5
Alex is the Editor in Chief of The Seventh Row, based in San Francisco and from Toronto, Canada.
Seventh Row
4.5
Lion is at once a heartbreaker, a journey for the soul and the senses, and ultimately the life affirming experience you need it to be.
Newshub (NZ)
4.0
The final resolution doesnt disappoint.Director Garth Davis (Top of the Lake) handles the emotions in a way that is satisfying and unsentimental.
Dogandwolf
3.8
Lion stirs emotions, but the storytelling is straightforward, not cloying.
Good Times
3.0
The story is thorough at first, but doesnt maintain a constant emotional balance throughout.However, its ending is so satisfying and moving that certa ..
Movies With Mae
4.5
Its an emotional, touching portrayal that represents Patels best work to date.
3.0
If you want to see a movie about the triumph of a family, a beautiful soul and an incredible story watch Lion.
rachelsreviews.net
2.0
Lion is to adoption stories as rom coms are to genuine romantic love: manipulative and sentimental....
4.4
Director Garth Davis has taken this incredible, real life tale and made an emotionally involving film that pulls on your heartstrings every step of th ..
Ny 1
4.5
Maras presence in the film, and their fast friendship and love, is done with a beautiful economy.Luke Davies script is so exact about when to have the ..
Graffiti With Punctuation
5.0
Lion has all of the things that make up a great film: a phenomenal cast coupled with an impactful true story that leaves one with an optimistic outloo ..
Cinemacy
4.0
They guard their children and try to do the best they can for them both emotionally and materially.But the sense that somewhere out there is another p ..
Phantom Tollbooth
2.0
...so predictable in the way that it manipulates your emotions that it leaves you feeling like the victim of a con game.
Playback:stl
1.5
Brierleys story is indeed a remarkable one, though in all honesty it seems better suited for something like a TV newsmagazine segment or a This Americ ..
Spliced Personality
3.5
Compounding the problem is the fact that Saroo doesnt speak Bengali.
North Shore News (Vancouve ..
4.5
A melodrama that overflows in its final part, which reserves moments of a valuable intensity.
0.5
A painful story where guilt and restlessness harass the main characters because of a fateful mix between their decisions and uncertainty.
Proceso
4.0
Lion starts strong and finishes on a teary high, with its comparatively lesser moments buoyed by the presence of Patel.
ABC Radio (Australia)
4.0
While the film is neither novel nor revolutionary, its the kind of cinematic warm blanket that feels very comforting and satisfying right now...That i ..
Star Telegram
3.8
When its not obviously vying for Oscar gold or propagandizing for the Google machine, Lion happens to be tender in its consideration of home and famil ..
Deep Focus Review
1.5
A conventional film with strong tendencies towards being tearful and musical.
El Pais (Spain)
4.4
After a decades long career, Robert Redford has confirmed his plan to retire from acting.
Arca Max
2.0
If youve ever been lost, and who hasnt This movie is for you, featuring a five year old boy from India who winds up in Australia.
Compuserve
3.5
Lions emotional strength lies in its honest approach to adoption, to the feeling of the adoptee and the one adopted, to the stuck pieces, to the inevi ..
3.5
Its a miraculous tale, though one that relies heavily on a device filmmakers have struggled to make cinematic: staring at a computer for long stretche ..
4.5
A nod that demonstrates the sincere despair of the filmmaker: in order to provoke emotion, he is able to remind us that he once made good films. And y ..
3.5
Either way, the film is definitely worth a watch, for all its tear jerking moments.
Jamaica Gleaner
4.5
Shyamalan returns with a story where the horror is facing the different faces of evil, where James McAvoy manages to be a memorable villain.
Siete24.mx
1.5
Lion misses the chance to delve into the nuances and complexities of adoption from the developing world.While most filmmakers present preposterous plo ..
Kill Your Darlings
1.0
What may well have been a reflection on the moral poverty of the world, soon becomes an irritating melodrama.
El Mundo (Spain)
3.5
True or not, it doesnt play truetheres a gloss all over this movie that keeps us at a respectful distance.
Pacific Sun
4.0
Its a heart wrenching puzzle full of scant clues and seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
In Style
3.0
Feels like a two and a half hour version of ... the kind of spot that should end with the words Happy Holidays from All of Us at Google.
Central Track
4.5
Davis exercises incredible cinematic control, managing to dramatise Saroos loss of cultural identity and internal conflict with subtlety and nuance.
Square Eyes
4.5
An extraordinary story that comes to stay in the soul of the viewer.
5.0
Adapted from Saroo Brierleys autobiography, A Long Way Home, Lion is a heartbreaking biopic that definitely packs an emotional punch, thanks to powerf ..
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