Lion is a well-made emotional film based on a true story – worth a 2nd watch!

Rating: 9/10 (3 March 2017)

Lion is a well-executed, sincerely made, very emotional "true life" film which received six Oscar nominations at the 89th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Patel), Best Supporting Actress (Kidman) and Best Adapted Screenplay.
It is about a very poor boy (Saroo) in an Indian orphanage who was adopted by a kind Australian couple. When Saroo grows up he recalls his childhood days and becomes restless to find his true roots – which brings him back to India.
Although it does not have too much of drama, but it succeeds in pulling the audience along with the flow of the story.
Presentation is more important than the idea itself. A simple story can be presented thoughtfully and enticingly.
Lion is a proved example of that.
But why is the film called "Lion" when there is no real Lion in the film? The truth is revealed after the film ends.
MERITS OF "LION"
1 – Interestingly, the film (directed empathetically by a first-timer Garth Davis) does not have too much of dialogues and heavy scenes. He relies more on moving imagery, telling shots and sound to tell the story. The pace of the film is creatively slow as it organically moves from one page to the next.
And this proves to be very effective – which just pulls you in. You will love it when you see it. Only a deadpan person will remain unmoved by the emotional pull of this beautifully made film.
You will surely feel for the character Saroo (played by Sunny Pawar when young and Dev Patel when grown up).
2 – Cinematography is captivating! It scans beautiful landscapes (in India and Australia) to go with the flow of the story.
3 – Background score is very arousing and fully uplifts and throws into high relief every situation in the film.
4 – Sunny Power is adorable as the young Saroo. I loved the cute voice he has. He may not be an acting powerhouse, but whatever acting he has done is enough for us to empathise with him.
5 - Dev Patel has certainly matured as an actor since his Slumdog Millionaire days. But Nicole Kidman has very few scenes as Saroo's mother.
DEMERITS OF "LION"
1 – Saroo's longing for his roots and his interest to see his long lost family (before coming back to India) is presented in a very brief manner – WITHOUT any depth! His interactions with other people in his life (parents and girl friend) are pretty shallow.
It is here that audience will feel "de-empathised" after showing empathy in the first hour or so.
This empathy and emotional connect could've been sustained if the "longing for his roots" phase in Tasmania had been presented with more DEPTH.
This "depth" could have taken the form of curiosity on Saroo's part to know more and more about where he came from by talking to his parents and with a build-up of passion in him to know more about himself.
2 – The reunion between the long lost son (from Australia) and the mother (in India) is done in public, with villagers around them. How strange! It should have been done in private, thereby, creating the right sombre atmosphere for such an emotional reunion.
Although what we see in the film is also emotional, but it should have been done in private, unless the public reunion is precisely what happened in real life.
3 – Saroo is never shown kissing his American girlfriend, even when they are in bed a few times. Why? Did Saroo never did that in real life too? Strange!
Finally, Garth Davis is very impressive as the Director. He certainly excelled in his craft ending up attracting the attention of the Oscar management.
LION IS WORTH A 2nd WATCH!
Garth Davis keep it up!
PS:
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