Let's be frank about this...

Rating: 6/10 (15 February 2017)

This is not a great movie - its faults are there for all to see.
So why so many gushing reviews and 10 star ratings? Primarily, I think many reviewers are confusing the great heart-warming story being depicted and the actual qualities of the film. Yes, it is a wonderful story and even more dramatic when considering the fate of young Saroo's brother. But this was a film with two distinct parts and apart from the climax of Saroo's reunion with his mother, the second part was very low-key film-making.
Nicole Kidman played her part well (apart from the most annoying monologue which was delivered in barely a whisper) but hardly 15-20 minutes on screen must surely disqualify her from any Oscar consideration. Her on-screen husband played by David Wenham appeared on screen for seemingly less than 10 minutes with no hope of any true characterization being offered. The adopted brother of Saroo was emotionally and mentally handicapped, yet we know nothing of his plight once again, through lack of exploring character. The inclusion of Roony Mara as Saroo's love interest in the second half of the film appeared almost pointless. Her presence did almost zilch for plot development and it makes you wonder why the producers went to such expense in casting her in the first place.
This second 'Australian' section of the film displayed some lovely bush and seaside settings but really paled in comparison to the exceptional performance of Sunny Pawar as young Saroo in the first half of the movie. To be honest, apart from the pertinent facial expressions, Dev Patel had little to do and less to say. The reputation of this film gains its notoriety almost wholly from the search and final reunion of mother and son in India but the lack of character development, a very average script and the inclusion of too much filler material has resulted in an overall disappointing film