Lions for Lambs (R)
Intense war thriller offers food for thought.
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- Studio: United Artists, United Artists
- Directed By: Robert Redford
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep
- Running Time: 88 minutes
- Release Date: 11/08/2007
- Video/DVD Release Date: 04/07/2008
- Genre: Thriller
- MPAA Rating: R
- MPAA Explanation: some war violence and language.
Parents need to know
Families can talk about the statement the movie is making about war. What messages does it send about the toll that war exacts on both soldiers and those at home? Do politicians consider the personal cost of war? What is the role of diplomacy? And what is society's responsibility in regards to the country's political and social problems? Families can also discuss why war is a theme in so many movies. What about it both fascinates and horrifies us? Can movies (and other media) help make sense of war? Why or why not?
Message
Social Behavior:
To a certain extent, everyone in the film displays curiosity and intellectual rigor, which drives them to seek out answers. A professor makes an impassioned plea for youth to be more interested and involved in society. Two men give up their lives for their country, while back home a jaded journalist redevelops a sense of justice.
Consumerism:
Not too many brands, though many mentions of Republicans and Democrats and newspapers and TV channels.
Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:
Violence
A fair amount of realistic war violence. There are battles, and gunshots are fired; during a skirmish, a soldier incurs a nasty compound fracture, which is shown in close-up. Lots of verbal sparring.
Sex
Language
Language includes "bulls--t" and "damn."
Common Sense says
What's the story?
Reviewed by S. Jhoanna Robledo
Is it any good?
Cruise is brilliant here, subduing his usual manic tendencies and exhibiting an almost menacing penchant for control that serves his character very well. He goes toe to toe with Streep, who's superb as usual. Of the movie's three sections, Redford's storyline suffers most from inertia. Yes, he holds the camera's gaze, but the conversation between him and his "student" feels curiously dispassionate -- ironic, considering that he's trying to light a fire under the kid. And while it's certainly moving, the soldiers' section is predictable. Too bad you can't say the same thing about resolving war and other conflicts.
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Parents and kids say
All Reviews
There are 5 reviews.
I cried at the end and the movie was very thought provoking
Adult Reviews
There are 5 reviews.
I cried at the end and the movie was very thought provoking
Kids Reviews
There are 0 reviews.
There are no kids reviews.

