Lion Review

It’s not usually the type of movie I’d see at the cinema but as I was down London yesterday after the BAFTA’s ceremony the only film that was showing at the time was Lion and after all the talk and hype the film has been getting, in addition to Dev Patel picking up a supporting actor’s award at the BAFTA’s, I thought I’d give it a shot.

Lion tells the story of two brothers, Saroo and Guddu, who live in rural India. To survive they steal coal from the top of trains passing through their village or any other method of scavenging to provide for their mother and sister. On one fateful day the brothers are separated and five-year old Saroo finds himself alone on an empty train going cross-country towards Calcutta.

The movie is based on a true story and this really hits home throughout this enticing, strong and tear jerkingly emotional piece of cinema.

Unable to speak the language and unsure of how to get home, Saroo sleeps on the streets and eventually winds up in an orphanage where he is adopted by a couple in Australia (Played by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) Saroo (Dev Patel) grows up as a 30 year old with a harrowing past. Studying and working towards a future in hotel management and being involved with a classmate (Rooney Mara) Saroo is constantly living his life in the past but as he learns about the creation of Google Earth, Saroo attempts to search for his family and helps to heal their years of pain.

Sunny Pawar steals the first half of the movie, this five year old with no previous acting experience provides the backbone to this emotional and heartfelt story. The beautiful cinematography of the poverty stricken rural parts of India evolves to Calcultta and then we finally land in Australia. The vibrant landscapes evolve throughout the movie just like the evolution of poor to middle class is strongly displayed in visual tones and cinematic execution. In addition to cinematic evolution the emotional evolution of the film drags you on a rollercoaster of epic proportions. In times of sheer poverty the love and bonding of the family in rural India is a testament to the human spirit, each day is a challenge, a race for survival in order to keep your family safe, secure and fed. This tight-knit family aesthetic is quickly broken down the second Saroo is trapped on the train and the quick descent from loving warmth to the harsh independent survival on the streets of Calcutta is an unnerving experience. The urgency of the need to survive, the audience wondering just what exactly will happen and as a viewer i’m concerned, worried and along Saroo’s journey every step of the way.

When Saroo is taken into the orphanage and adopted by the Australian family Saroo finds himself in a new world, a new environment, no more poverty or fighting for survival, he now lives in a new culture that is more privileged than anything he has ever witnessed before. The film explores the midway point between poor and middle class when Saroo comes into contact with a young lady in Calcutta who provides him shelter, food and warmth albeit with an ulterior motive, but this provides the mid-way point between Saroo’s shift in cultural and country diversity.

Years after living in Australia we are still burdened with Saroo’s struggle to find out just exactly where he came from and we are along for the journey to find his home-town.

A heartbreaking and intensely emotional movie accompanied with stellar performances from all involved, Lion is nothing short of a masterpiece that throws your feelings around like a rag-doll and knowing it’s a true story leaves you confused as to what exactly you’re experiencing. A mix of love, lost, happiness, mixed with the contrast of heartbreak and sadness, you’re holding back tears of sadness but also want to cry tears of happiness, this movie is nothing short of incredible.