Lions For Lambs (2007)

Best Movie I've seen in a long time

When I say "best movie I've seen in a long time," I'm not talking about shoot-em up action flicks, or syrupy chick flicks. This movie has stunning dialogue written for (shock) intelligent people!

The performances are stellar all the way around. Tom Cruise plays a right wing pathological deviant in power superbly. I was reminded of his fiendish glee playing the vampire Lestat. Streep plays the duped, but now waking up journalist with just the right cynical weariness, and Redford, as always, puts his heart into his politics.

If you're tired of crap, tired of empty BS and cheap Hollywood, watch this one and understand that art, indeed, can be the path to truth. June 22, 2008

While the debate goes on, LIVES ARE LOST!

Other reviewers have commented on the poor or thin story line of the Afghanistan segment. It is this segment, with its dark imagery and very real human drama that affected me most profoundly. The entire cast is top-notch and each gives a very fine performance. But while Senator Irving and Reporter Roth are debating the pro and con of this War; while Professor Malloy tries to light a fire under his apathetic student; two idealistic young men, full of potential, fight with their last breaths because they believe it takes personal sacrifice to make the U.S.A. a better, safer place. Who is accountable? Those of us old enough to have lived through any part of the Vietnam Era, before "spin" was a PR term, can recall the indepth coverage the news media gave that war. A lot of it was pretty awful, grim and heart-wretching, but it didn't allow those safe here at home to bury their heads in the sand. I highly recommend this movie. June 21, 2008

Okie

I liked this movie a lot. Subject matter is of great importance to us, and I thought it was treated very well. June 15, 2008

Holy words to the young.

I saw this film with my son, who is a senior in high school. He is a very cynical idealist, very smart, who wants to do something to improve the world, but is almost hopeless than anything can be done to fix the rampant incompetence and dysfunctionality in government and politics, the lack of principle and competence in almost every field of American endeavor, and the pervasive "anything for a buck" mentality. He is such a believer, but he is so angry and disillusioned as well. The only one out there who seems to understand what's going on and see through all the sheer idiocy that passes for public discourse is Jon Stewart, and he's essentially a comedian.

There was no one out there speaking to him until this movie. I was astonished, and very moved, that someone cared enough to sit down and talk to my son right where he lived, and tell him what he most needs to hear. Robert Redford wasn't speaking only to the kid in the movie; he was speaking to this new generation. To me, the words he spoke were holy and precious, not because of political content, but because they were meant to alight and encourage a sense of purpose and hope that is too easily snuffed out and stunted today, both by the many pretty, mind-numbing distractions available to our youth and the fact that almost no one seems to be acting out of sheer principle. I had to stop and sob a little at the end of the movie, I was so moved and grateful that someone cared enough to speak to my son and so many others like him to try to ignite the flame of hope again, to realize that if these problems are ever going to be solved, it will only come through a dedication of spirit, commitment of the body, rolling up of the sleeves, getting to work, becoming expert, and going out there to make things better. The movie was meant to demonstrate that the sacrifices of those who have given their lives in support of our ideals demand no less.

So thank you, Robert Redford and crew. There are some who are listening and heeding the call.

I will be buying this movie as a high-school graduation present for my son, as he begins his study of political science at college, and I hope he will play it again and again. Let's all pray that his generation will do better than ours. June 7, 2008

nothing new in this film

While it certainly looked interesting, the story unfortunately uses a lot of words to say nothing new.

I'm voting 1/5 because of Redford's direction of Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise; I found their characters very believable and found the casting perfect. Cruise as the senator looks like a smart a$$ (pardon the expression) and Streep is perfect as the journalist.

And the final 1/5 is for Philippe Rousselot's cinematography work.

Not as interesting as it could be.
Watch only if you must.
June 5, 2008

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