Beautiful Film

Rating: 9/10 (23 January 2017)

This is a sensitive and empathetic film that casts all characters in their best light. There is no villain, no 'saviour' just a range of people trying to do their best. The footage in India is warts and all. As a frequent visitor to India, I found the portrayal of India to be honest. It is a wonderful place but also suffers from extreme poverty and horrendous overpopulation with all its inherent blights. Sunny Pawar is a wonderful 'young' Saroo. His plight and journey in India is examined in great detail, and when he is adopted by a Tasmanian couple his journey in Australia is glanced upon until Dev Patel emerges from the Ocean as the now 26-year-old Saroo. The story then moves to Saroo trying desperately to reconnect with his family in India. A difficult task as he has no idea where he hailed from. The performances of all the main characters were sensitively portrayed. Nicole Kidman's role was minimal but honest. The heroes of the movie are Sunny Pawar and Dev Patel. Sunny for his wonderful portrayal of a boy thrown into a nightmare, and surviving. Dev Patel for his portrayal as the young man drawn headlong into a seeming less impossible task. A tear-jerker with genuine emotion.