So much average

People are voting emotionally.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Lion is based on the book A Long way Home written by Saroo Brierly and is based on his life. The movie is about a 5 year old boy Saroo (Sunny Pawar) from Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, India, a child of a labourer, who gets separated from his brother, Guddu (Abhishek Bharate) at a railway station and ends up in a train that takes him all the way to Kolkata. Despite his frantic attempts, he is unable to get help from anyone to take him back to his place, 'Ganestalay'. After facing a lot of travails and escaping from the clutches of child snatchers including the syrupy faced Noor (Tannishtha Chatterjee) who feeds him and bathes him only to make him presentable to Rama (Nazwazuddin Siddiqui), Saroo finally finds himself in a children's home which is no better than the outside world. There are shady things happening in this place and Saroj Sood (Deepti Naval) has taken it upon herself to rescue the children from this place. Saroo gets adopted by an Australian couple Sue and John Brierly (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham) and flies to Tasmania where he begins to settle in. The Brierlys adopt another boy from India, Mantosh who unlike Saroo has some difficulty adjusting with the family. The story moves forward in time and Saroo is now 26 years old (played by Dev Patel). He is an Australian now right down to rooting for the Australian cricket team rather than the Indian. He moves to Melbourne to study hotel management where he meets Lucy (Rooney Mara). A meal with his Indian friends brings back memories from India and with Lucy's encouragement Saroo begins to trace his roots to India using Google Earth. Whilst Saroo is drawn to India, at the same time, he is feeling conflicted wondering if tracing his biological mother would mean betraying his adoptive mother. Will Saroo continue in his search for his hometown in India? Will he locate "Ganestalay"? Will he be reunited with his mother and brother? When I started watching the movie, I was wondering what all the fuss about Sunny Pawar was. I had seen better child actors. But as the movie progresses, you find that there is something so endearing about Sunny. He isn't "acting", acting and it would appear that film has captured a real life incident as is and that Sunny is the real Saroo, a lost and confused 5 year old who somehow still manages to have his wits around him. Lion received 6 Oscar nominations and won two BAFTAs. It is also the highest grossing Australian film of all time. All actors including those with minor roles (Guddu, Mantosh) have done a wonderful job. A special mention to Nawazuddin, whose screen appearance is less than 2 minutes but sends chills down your spine. Sunny Pawar, no doubt, is the star of the show. The film shows Sunny walking barefoot, covered in filth, rummaging through all that garbage in search of food and gets you wondering how does one film such a scene so realistically! His face looks unwashed, his eyes crusty and there's dried mucous around his nose! The film beautifully captures emotions of the actors. The mother's anguish over her lost child, the blind hope of being finally traced by his mother, the joy of laying eyes on their adopted child who has travelled from across the world, the guilt of having led a comfortable life while your family may still be unaware of your survival, the conflict of having to choose biological over adopted... The film doesn't have many dialogues but manages to tell the story beautifully. The ending is bittersweet but then all's well that ends well. Throughout the entire movie, you wonder why the film is called Lion. I even thought it was because Dev Patel's hair hangs loose from his head like a mane (!!!). The title of the movie is explained towards the end and I may have shed a tear or two.

'Lion' showed a lot of promise. There was potential for a very powerful story, had heard a lot of good things about it (as seen from many positive reviews and a high rating here) and there is a lot of talent involved. A lot of my friends had said how much it touched them, as have many reviewers here, and it seemed like my kind of film. Fortunately, 'Lion' was a film that had great potential and mostly lived up to it. Cannot say that for many recent viewings, with a few too many wastes of good concepts and potential (along with wastes of talent, that is a bugbear of mine because it feels like somewhat of a slap of the face) so that there was a film that did not waste it was refreshing and restored a bit of faith. It is a very good film, albeit it was very nearly a great film. That it wasn't the great film all the way through than when it started is something of a shame, but there are so many great qualities all the same. It is an uneven film sure, starting with the negatives. The second half is not as strong as the first half, it is not as compellingly paced and the clarity of storytelling is less good, some of it feeling vague. That is not to say it is unwatchable, it is still touching in spots in a film that is quite the emotional experience. Rooney Mara also came over to me as the cast's weak link. She didn't look very interested and her character felt like a misplaced and underwritten plot device.However, 'Lion's' first half is wonderful. Hugely compelling and very emotional, and what is meant by why the film very nearly was great. The whole film though was poignant, and count me in as another film who has become tougher generally over the year but got through several tissues by the film's end.Throughout, 'Lion' is beautifully filmed and complements the beautiful sceneries very well. Scoring and sound never come over as obvious or intrusive. The script provokes thought, charms and moves. The story is never dull and the emotional impact never feels forced or manipulative.Garth Davis does a very good job directing. Aside from Mara, the cast are very good. Dev Patel's performance here is perhaps the best seen from him personally and David Wenham and Nicole Kidman are similarly excellent. The star here though is Sunny Pawar who is just outstanding, have not seen a child performance this good in a long time, it is perhaps among the best ever. In conclusion, very good and very nearly great. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Lion is an authentic and amazing piece of cinematography, based on the astonishing true story of Saroo Brierley. Lion is an uplifting movie, supported by an incredible cast that compellingly portrays the moving journey of Saroo and his family. The movie is nothing like you have ever seen before and is a genuine experience unlike any other multi-race Hollywood movie. From the very first scene of the movie; played by the young and adorable Sunny Pawar, we are faced with an emotional rollercoaster, about the truths of children in India, and how the young 5 year old Saroo's life changed from the moment he stepped foot in the large and busy city of Calcutta. The movie is then carried by the wonderful Dev Patel who creates an enthralling performance in connecting the stories of Saroo throughout his life. Lion is a must see movie, that will keep you on your toes from start to end, and magnificently portrays the inspiring life of Saroo Brierley (Lion)

An movie not to miss. An story, a voice not to ignore. This movie will blow your mind, it's a heart stopping movie, with many emotional moments on the way. You will be sent on a journey, with new views on life, our humanity and our world. The first of the movie starts in hindi with english subtitles. By Garth Davis making the first half in hindi, it sets the scene perfectly. As the character Saroo shows us his journey, through his life. By starting it off in India, then in Australia and ending it in ...., that part is for you to find out.The movie is very emotional as it shows the scary, tough and dark life of Saroo. No child should have to experience this, every child should have a chance in life, they should be given hope for a good future and freedom for a free and happy childhood.This movie is definitely worth a watch.