Lawrence: After Arabia
Conspiracy drama has violence, suicide, swearing, smoking.
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Lawrence: After Arabia
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Lawrence: After Arabia is a low-budget British movie that accuses the secret service of murdering the real-life influential military leader T.E. Lawrence and covering it up. Lawrence -- the titular hero from the 1962 Oscar-winning Lawrence of Arabia -- is played by Tom Barber-Duffy, while Brian Cox delivers a short voiceover at the end of the film. It has occasional bloody violence that includes executions and suicide. Bad language is constant but doesn't get any more profane than "bastard," "s--t," and "bloody." Cigarettes are occasionally smoked and a character who is alcohol-dependent swigs from a hip flask. Despite the historical context, there is little to learn from the movie due to its lack of engaging performances and poor writing.
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What's the Story?
In LAWRENCE: AFTER ARABIA, the British secret service plots to kill the influential military leader T.E. Lawrence (Tom Barber-Duffy) and will stop at nothing to cover up the killing.
Is It Any Good?
Did the British secret service kill T.E. Lawrence? Unfortunately after two hours of Lawrence: After Arabia, you won't care either way. Movies based on conspiracy theories can be entertaining if the intrigue is laid out cinematically. But despite its best intentions and efforts, there's nothing to recommend in this cheap movie. The life of Lawrence -- the hero from the epic Lawrence of Arabia -- is doubtlessly fascinating. But this is likely the worst way to learn about it. Stuffy, entirely humorless, and without humility, the movie leaves no room for enjoyment. The heavy use of green screen occasionally tips the movie into accidentally funny territory but the laughs soon die down as it settles back into its sullen trudge. Teens old enough to watch this movie are old enough to reject filmmaking of this low quality.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the premise of Lawrence: After Arabia. It's based on a conspiracy theory about a murder and the subsequent cover-up. Do you think it's OK for movies to speculate about actual events? Why, or why not?
Discuss the movie's violence. What impact did it have? What consequences were there? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?
The main characters were all White men with little diversity when it came to gender, race, and ethnicity. Did you find this problematic? Why representation matters in kids' media.
How were drinking and smoking depicted in the film? Were they glamorized? Why does that matter?
Do you think the movie's objective was to educate or entertain? Did it succeed at either?
Movie Details
- In theaters: December 31, 2020
- On DVD or streaming: April 8, 2021
- Cast: Tom Barber-Duffy, Derek Herbert, Steve Rollins
- Director: Mark J.T. Griffin
- Studio: Renderyard
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 121 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 2, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
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Mature teens will appreciate this gripping epic.
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Frost/Nixon
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