“I can lift anything” says the 5-year-old boy in the tearjerker of the year ‘Lion.’ He certainly lifts this film to incredible heights. A Hollywood screenwriter couldn’t make this stuff up. Adapted from the non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, ‘Lion’ tells the heartwarming journey of a young man in search of his past. It is the first half of the film that is beautifully shot through the eyes of the little Indian boy that will stick with you throughout the entire saga. The power of the story rests on your own love for home and family. Whether it garners an Oscar or not this year, it is an inspirational film well worth seeing.
The story opens in a poor village where 5-year-old Saroo (Sunny Pawar) lives with his family. His mother is a laborer so he and his older brother Guddu (Abihishek Bharate) do what they can to make extra money. We see the boys collecting coal to exchange for milk at the local market. Later that night, Saroo follows Guddu to a railroad station where the younger boy accidentally boards an out-of-service train that chugs its way a thousand miles from his home to Calcutta. It’s terrifying to watch the little boy disembark from the train into a strange world. Additionally, he is unable to communicate with most of the people in the bustling city that speak Bengali and not his native Hindi. He wanders the streets and we are right there with him amazed at how he survives on his own without any help from friends or family.
His journey is mesmerizing. There is minimal dialogue but the child’s eyes are so expressive that his adventure is captivating to watch. You are right there with him hoping that nothing bad happens to him. He eventually gets placed in an orphanage that looks like a prison. When he gets adopted by an Australian couple named John and Sue Brierley (David Wenham and Nicole Kidman), his life changes forever. Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) takes over the role as the older Saroo. It’s a magnificent performance. He is haunted by memories of his childhood. He moves to Melbourne to study hotel management and falls for a fellow student, Lucy (Rooney Mara). Mara delivers a heartfelt performance as his girlfriend. During a house party, the sight of an Indian fried treat known as Jalebi sparks old memories from the past.
Saroo becomes obsessed with finding his family thanks to the help of Google Earth. It’s a fascinating process that shows how technology has made the world smaller. It’s not an easy path for Saroo. He gets frustrated and hits many dead ends along the way. There is a tender moment between Saroo and his Australian mother, Sue. Kidman manages to deliver a memorable performance from a few pivotal scenes. She completely understands why her adopted son wants to reconnect with his past. Other memories begin to service regarding his birth mother and older brother. It’s heartbreaking to see his fond memories of his brother appear out of nowhere. His brother Guddu looked after him and he misses him dearly. As he gets closer to discovering his hometown on Google Earth, you cannot help but root for him to reunite with his lost family.
Although Patel’s performance carries the second half of the film, it is newcomer Sunny Pawar as the 5-year-old Indian boy that makes ‘Lion’ special. It is heart-wrenching to watch him alone in a big city like Calcutta. He is vulnerable but at the same time quickly develops street smarts that keep him moving forward on his exciting journey. He survives long enough to get rescued by his loving Australian family. The gorgeous cinematography by Greig Fraser accentuates the beauty of both India and Australia. ‘Lion’ is a meditative film with powerful themes concerning home and identity. ‘Lion’ is an incredibly heartfelt story that should not be missed this awards season.
