Great Story, not a Great Film

Rating: 5/10 (31 December 2016)

Lion is an a amazing story of an exceptionally lucky child grown up to be a man. Lion is not a great film however. It becomes overbearingly melodramatic and overwrought in the second half. I felt like screaming at the main character, go to India and see your family already! This would have been a good documentary. Spare us the Aussie attempt at angst, it just doesn't work. Here we have a lucky young man with a loving family, all grown up in the "lucky country". What's the problem? He can figure out where to go in India to see his birth village, but we have to endure an hour of film with him being moody around his supportive girlfriend and family. Talk about manufactured drama. The scene with Nicole Kidman and Patel seemed pointless - just a contractual opportunity for her to show off her acting chops and make this sellable overseas. Don't be fooled. This is a great story, but poor filmmaking in my opinion.