Lion
A lost Indian child grows into an Australian man whose search for his birth family tests the boundaries of memory, gratitude, and belonging.
Overview
A heartwarming tale of love and loss that transcends borders and time.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- tender
- wrenching
- reflective evening
- family movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's truthful first half, emotional storytelling, cinematography, and performances by Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, while finding the later sections slower and sometimes emotionally manipulative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Saroo moves from a poor rural Indian family and life as a street child to a prosperous Tasmanian adoptive household.
Adult Saroo uses memories and digital searching to reconnect his adopted life with his lost Indian family.
The film connects Saroo's birth family in India with the Brierley family in Australia.
Calcutta's alien streets and railway spaces contrast with the safety and prosperity of Tasmania.
Films like Lion, and why
The Blind Side
shared true-story drama, adoption themes, cross-cultural identity, and emotionally cathartic family reconciliation
Slumdog Millionaire
shared child-centered survival drama, displacement, family separation, and uplifting emotional resolution
Philomena
shared biographical drama, lost identity, family bonds, and a moving search for belonging
Secrets & Lies
shared adoption-centered drama, cultural displacement, and bittersweet reflection on family and identity
Movie Details
- Director
- Garth Davis
- Release Date
- 2016-11-24
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (7079)
Cast
- Dev Patel
- Rooney Mara
- David Wenham
- Nicole Kidman
- Sunny Pawar
- Abhishek Bharate
- Priyanka Bose
- Divian Ladwa
- Deepti Naval
- Tannishtha Chatterjee
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Lion about?
- A lost Indian child grows into an Australian man whose search for his birth family tests the boundaries of memory, gratitude, and belonging.
- What is Lion like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lion as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Lion violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Lion as mild.
- What did critics think of Lion?
- Critics broadly praised the film's truthful first half, emotional storytelling, cinematography, and performances by Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, while finding the later sections slower and sometimes emotionally manipulative.
- Which films are like Lion?
- Films with a similar feel include The Blind Side, Slumdog Millionaire, Philomena, and Secrets & Lies.
- How long is Lion?
- Lion runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lion?
- In United States, Lion streams on Netflix.
