It's always nice to see a Brit nominated for an academy award but I must admit I was fairly surprised to see the floppy haired Dev Patel up for the best supporting actor gong , especially as he dominated the second half of the movie Lion as former Indian street child Saroo, a boy seperated from his Indian family by a quirk of fate who was brought up by an adoptive Australian family thousands of miles from his rural dirt poor native village.
I was reminded of the movie as I watched the dogs and Albert lying in their untidy heaps on the bed this morning for in one sad pivotal scene a handful of Calcutta Street Children are seen huddling together for warmth and comfort on cardboard beds by the side of the road.
The sobering truth is that these Street Children are not just figments of a Hollywood screen writer's mind. They are real sad little scraps who don't know the comforts that a handful of terriers and a wide eyed black cat enjoy in a small Welsh village.
The astonishing Sunny Pawar
Lion is an interesting, uneven movie. The first half is literally stunning. It is a total assault on the senses as we follow the ever chirpy five year old Saroo (Sunny Pawar) and his ever loving mother ( Pryanka Bose) and hero worshiped older brother Guddu ( Abishek Bharate) in their dirt poor rural existence in central India.
Saroo is seperated from his family, and by an odd quirk of fate transported over a thousand miles to Calcutta where he survives on the dangerous streets for months until adopted by an Australian couple from Tasmania.
This chapter of Saroo's life is true heart in the mouth stuff thanks primarily to the child actor Pawar who literally breaks your heart with his solemn face and doleful eyes.
Unfortunately the whole pace of the film grinds to a halt soon after, as we then follow the continuing story of Saroo, a man living a fairly loving and comfortable life with his Australian parents (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) Saroo ( Dev Patel) is conflicted by submerged memories of his former life and after a long period of reflection and research ( with too many scenes of the angst Patel staring off into the middle distance) the adult Saroo is finally reunited with his mother in a tearful sob fest finale.
Now Patel is undoubtedly moving in his role as the adult Saroo and I sincerely hope that he nabs the Oscar for his performance, but for me the real dramatic punch of Lion is the honest, naturalistic turn by the baby faced Sunny Pawar that really lingers long in the mind
8/10
Saroo is seperated from his family, and by an odd quirk of fate transported over a thousand miles to Calcutta where he survives on the dangerous streets for months until adopted by an Australian couple from Tasmania.
This chapter of Saroo's life is true heart in the mouth stuff thanks primarily to the child actor Pawar who literally breaks your heart with his solemn face and doleful eyes.
Unfortunately the whole pace of the film grinds to a halt soon after, as we then follow the continuing story of Saroo, a man living a fairly loving and comfortable life with his Australian parents (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) Saroo ( Dev Patel) is conflicted by submerged memories of his former life and after a long period of reflection and research ( with too many scenes of the angst Patel staring off into the middle distance) the adult Saroo is finally reunited with his mother in a tearful sob fest finale.
Now Patel is undoubtedly moving in his role as the adult Saroo and I sincerely hope that he nabs the Oscar for his performance, but for me the real dramatic punch of Lion is the honest, naturalistic turn by the baby faced Sunny Pawar that really lingers long in the mind
8/10
I really enjoyed this one and like you, I think young Sunny was amazing in this role. I did admit to tears at the end.
ReplyDeleteJulie
That sounds like a great film. I'd like to see it! Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteI agree it's uneven but I really liked this film and that the little Saroo was magnificent. I keep wondering why no one noticed a lost child until I realized that the streets were filled with lost children.
ReplyDeleteIt DOES sound like an interesting movie! Has any South Asian won an acting Oscar? Ben Kingsley won and his background is half-Indian, but I'm hard-pressed to think of any others.
ReplyDeleteHaing S. Ngor From the movie The Killiang Fields
DeleteI've not seen the movie, so can't comment on that. However, I must say that I enjoy Albert's expression of utter shock and horror so much!! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteHe looks like this all of the time
DeleteWe need an Albert meme or GIF because that expression is choice.
DeleteThe fact that this a true story is what makes it so compelling. Thank goodness his mother lived long enough to welcome him back to India.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see this film. They interviewed the real Saroo on GMTV the other day. Isn't it hard to believe that it was actually true. The poor little boy must have been worried out of his mind and the family must have thought they would never meet again.
ReplyDeleteThe sobering truth is that these Street "Children are not just figments of a Hollywood screen writer mind. They are real sad little scraps who don't know the comforts that a handful of terriers and a wide eyed black cat enjoy in a small Welsh village." I love this paragraph.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I like Dev Patel, young Saroo was irresistible.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting that the real Saroo was rather less fashionable looking than he was portrayed and Nicole Kidman was less attractive than her real life counterpart. Who would have thought it?
My Rare One saw the movie and liked it, but said the book was better. Good luck to Dev Patel! He's such a good looking and talented young man.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on this movie. The first half was interesting and touching; the second half was too long with an awful lot of staring and boring scenes that could have been cut.
ReplyDeleteYou (and 'Starting Over', above) are saying what many are saying, namely that the section telling the older Saroo's story does not rise to the same level as the film's first part, delineating the tale of the young boy. Forewarned is forearmed. When I see it I know that when it gets into that second part it won't be as emotionally wrenching as the first, so at least I can stop tensing myself - even if just a little.
ReplyDeleteit is all emotionally wrenching
DeleteOh dear and dammit!
DeleteI am yet to watch this movie, and hopefully will get around to doing that soon. Congrats to the nominees. Warm greetings!
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ReplyDeleteI must learn to proof read before posting...
DeleteI will see this film, but when I can watch it in the privacy of my home, where my sobbing won't disturb anyone else.
On my list, now, to see this film. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMovies don't hold the same pull for me as books, so I'm glad to see this was based on the book (Debra's comment above) and I'll be looking for it.
ReplyDeleteI love Albert's perpetually astonished expression! Or is it shock and horror as Jenn said?!
The farmer reeled in horror from the sight of dogs on the bed!
ReplyDeleteSaw it this afternoon and totally agree with your comments. The last three minutes had me filling up big time. 😱
ReplyDeleteHopefully, I'll get to see this.
ReplyDeleteThere are some great films out just now and "Lion" is definitely another one I would like to see.
ReplyDeleteI probably won't see the movie but there was a good tv doco made here with the real Saroo. It's an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteWe loved this film, both halves, but of the too little Sunny should get the awards I think. I loved the surprise ending and the reason the film is called Lion :-)
ReplyDelete'too' should obviously be spelt TWO :-)
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