A beautiful story shown through a solid film

Rating: 8/10 (2 January 2017)

Lion tells the true story of Saroo, an Indian boy who is separated from his family at a very young age and is adopted by a couple in Australia. 25 years later as a grown man he sets out to find his mother, brother and sister using the newly created google earth (circa 2008).
This is an incredible story and it carries an important message about love, determination and the importance of family. The central performance by newcomer Sunny Pawar who plays a young Saroo is what really holds the first half of the film together, his on screen presence is phenomenal for someone so young. Dev Patel is the best he's ever been as the grown up Saroo, Oscar worthy to be sure. Supporting performances by Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara as his adoptive mother and girlfriend are also great and very well cast.
In terms of the script the film does falter in parts especially when attempting to provide character for Nicole Kidmans' character; one scene in particular involves Kidman attempting to explain a 'vision' she had as a child and this is what made her adopt Saroo and his 'brother' Mantosh. The scene feels forced and more of an attempt to add weight to her character as opposed to adding to the overall plot. Nevertheless, this is a minor flaw when compared to the brilliance within this film.
One aspect I adored of this film was the musical score by Dustin O' Halloran and Volker Bertelmann. It adds so much to every scene and its the first thing that hits you when the film begins, it has an emotive tone to it and is a wonderful addition.
Overall. Lion is a film I would absolutely recommend watching for its powerful message and incredible acting and score; it deserves all the awards buzz it is receiving. 8/10