Dev Patel Shines in Lion!

Rating: 8/10 (8 February 2017)

I was surprised with how much of this film just focuses on the character of Saroo. I mean, he is the main character, so I figured he'd be the center of the movie. But I thought the film's actual focus would be of him searching for his family. Instead, it develops Saroo as a child, played beautifully by Sunny Pawar. We then transition into him as an adult, where the film then focuses on his relationship with Lucy (Rooney Mara). They had unbelievable chemistry, and I really bought into their relationship. It wasn't some stereotypical boy/girl thing, but it was a human and compelling dynamic that I thought stole the film. Saroo traveling to India to find his family is actually a small portion of the film. On paper, that sounds like it would be disappointing and anticlimactic, but is incredibly effective in the context of the movie. Director Garth Davis does a magnificent job helming this film, and really knew how to navigate it in order to make it work. Because of his foresight, we buy into the human character of Saroo, instead of the situation. We understand this character, and that's what really makes this film work...