ian-70926 Reviews

Lion (2016)

Couldn't stop crying

[9/10 · 4 October 2016]

This is such a beautiful film, with a simple story line, without any frills.

A young Indian boy leaves their village with his older brother to do some "jobs", in one of these jobs he gets lost and cannot find his way back home. Pass some years and he's adopted by a family from Australia, and when that boy becomes an adult, he starts wondering where he's actually from.

It deals with aspects of origin and identity, and that we cannot escape from who we really are.

Superb, superb acting from everyone, from the little Indian boys, specially Sunny Pawar that plays the young Sarro, to Dev Patel who has clearly matured into a top class act and is endearing and touching playing the older Saroo.

I'm certainly watching it again.

Chasing Robert Barker (2015)

Riveting and well put together.

[9/10 · 4 October 2016]

This is an amazing little film.

Caught it at the San Diego film festival and all I had in mind was, that's the kind of discovery that Film Festivals are for. Acting is superb and so is directing, photography, music.

It follows a paparazzi working in London, UK, and as the day goes on we learn more about him and what took him there, until things start to get complicated with the assignment he's on and with his boss, a corrupt gossip columnist.

We never really know where the script is taking us, and when it finally gets there and we know it's gone full circle, it's like: WOW.

I've read a comment here from someone saying basically he didn't understand the film. Well, I believe that's your problem, not the film's. Maybe you should watch it again, or look for something a bit more "simple".