Lion (2016), PG-13, ★★★1/2

Dev Patel.

This is a movie that can take a formula such as a family endeavor and becomes an emotional drama but it is a tragedy to have someone you love in your family household be lost or be distant especially in the 1980s India which there's not much digital communication involved. However, when it comes to family dramas, it can be either uplifting and emotionally gut-wrenching or simply corny. I am siding with the former because this movie is an emotionally character-driven film that will have your tears swell up in the end because you want him to be reunited with his family. I almost cried because I rarely cry during the movie. (It is a very good movie, filmmakers, but nice try.)

This is a based on a true story in Central India in which young Saroo (Sunny Pawar) plays with Guddu, his older brother, near the train tracks as Saroo jumps, after being caught by an officer, as the train goes by and he makes it which earns Guddu's compliments. They live in Khandwa Village with their mother, Kamla and sister, Shekila. The next day, Guddu helps lifting bales of hay and Saroo comes along, despite his initial urging to stay with Shekila. As Saroo goes to sleep, Guddu goes to check on the work site but when he wakes up, he is not there. Sara looks around in the train station and also on board the train to search for his brother but he realizes he is Calcutta, 1000 miles away from his home. He wanders in the streets after a brief stay with someone and now lives in a orphanage.

A year later, a woman tells Saroo that he will be adopted by parents who live in Tanzania named John Brierly (David Wendham) and his wife, Sue (Nicole Kidman). Saroo is a bit shy but he warms up to the Brierlys as he identifies "pepper" in English and charms them. We flash forward 24 years later as Saroo has grown up (Dev Patel) and the Brierlys later adopted a second Indian boy named Mantosh, who causes trouble by not attending dinner. Saroo is currently taking hotel management courses as Lucy (Rooney Mara), notices him. She is similarly taking the course to provide good service to people while as Saroo says he trying to make a profit.

Saroo often thinks of his primary family as a few kids tell him to research train stations also look on Google Earth, a new site at the time that allows users to search the world through satellite images. As Saroo and Lucy begin dating, they have a good time. But one night, he becomes distant because he cannot overcome the pain that he bared for the last 25 years knowing that his mother and brother have wondered about him every day.

Awww...that's sweet.

This is a powerfully moving film about a man trying to find his family and it is emotionally driven as he gets along with his adopted family whereas investigating his primary family's whereabouts. The movie becomes a bit sugarcoated regarding how lost or adopted children become more engaged into finding the truth and how the writers stress on the fact that their lives are lost. But, even though it gets a bit over exaggerated in the second act, the movie offers sweeping shots that is full of happiness, wonderment and curiosity that parallels the themes of Saroo's finding of his identity.

Dev Patel gives a passionate performance as he portrays a familiar character that he has played from the Best Picture winning Slumdog Millionaire, as he tried to find his brother and their friend. But, his character has all the love this time on his side from his adopted family, well-portrayed by David Wenham and Nicole Kidman, who should get a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Rooney Mara is really good in this movie as she and Patel have a good natural chemistry but her character seems shoehorned in as she is solely provided for her to be the girlfriend who roots for his aspirations. So, even though their relationship is sweet, the romance does not seem to make sense in a movie like this.

Director Garth Davis provides a more committed and passionate story that outline Saroo's journey through courage, persistence and rooting values. This is a fiercely and well-made debut from him. There are a few flaws in the script that could have been avoided but even though the ending is so emotional, I wanted one scene more instead of a simple post-scripte and that is all I am going to say. Lion is an uplifting tale that will keep your attention throughout the movie despite its familiarity but it will be worth your time in the end.

***1/2