If you are looking for a feel good movie, Lion is an excellent pick. Nominated for six Academy Awards, the movie caught my attention when I was preparing for our Oscar-themed party. When I saw clips of it, I was interested in how the suspenseful plot would unfold. Recently, I received the Blu-ray, and I had a rare kid-free movie night. Since most of the movies I watch are for children, watching Lion was not only a relaxing way to sneak in some time without the kids around, but it was also a thought provoking movie.

Lion Blu-ray Review

One of the things that interested me most about the movie was its setting in Kolkata. When I was growing up, my family lived overseas for some time, and I loved listening to my father’s stories of visiting Kolkata to volunteer in Mother Teresa’s orphanage during the early 1990’s. The large city sounded busy and overwhelming to me, but the story inspired me to have an interest in the area.

Seeing the streets of Kolkata in the movie, it looked as busy as I imagined it when I listened to my father’s stories at five years old. Now, I watched through the eyes of five year old Saroo (played by Sunny Pawar), as he navigated the streets independently. Stranded from his family, the boy escaped several bad situations with his wit and swiftness.

With a bit of good luck, Saroo avoided being sold into child labor. When he was taken to a police station by a stranger, he had no idea what his future held.

Although the bulk of the plot happened in India, the main conflict began after Saroo was adopted by an Australian family. When Saroo grew up, he realized he needed to search for his birth mom. Check out this clip “I’m Lost” to see how emotional this part of the movie is.

I’m Lost Clip

I really enjoyed seeing Saroo look for his true home. Anyone who has experienced an adoption in the family can relate to several parts of the plot. Even though Saroo grew up thinking that his adoptive mother had to adopt and couldn’t have children, he was so incredibly wanted in his home. He had no idea during his whole childhood how wanted he was. Although the adoption process opened a lot of questions in his mind, being raised by his adoptive parents truly was the best place for him. It was a relief to see some closure in the end.

Although I expected most of the movie to take place during Saroo’s adult life, watching the events that got him there made the plot more meaningful. The story didn’t move as fast as I thought it would, but it had interesting moments and an uplifting ending. Check out the trailer below to learn more.

Lion Trailer

The best part of the movie was that it was inspired by a true story. Saroo Brierly is a real person who inspired the movie. It was fascinating to see the clips of the family whose story the movie tells.

With the story of Saroo, we learn a humanitarian lesson. There is a major need for children living in developing nations to find the care and provisions they need. Take a journey this spring. Learn more about this cause, and buy the Lion Blu-ray today.

Disclosure

I received a free item, but it in no way influenced my opinion!