Lions for Lambs (DVD, 2009, Widescreen)

Lions for Lambs is a very interesting movie that looks into the USA's war on terror. It is a good but short movie that seems to hit close to the mark.

The movie is split into three interwoven stories that blend together. This might cause some disorientation in watching the movie but it is an interesting way to show the movie.

One section has Tom Cruise playing a young Republican senator that is in a position of power in Washington. He is a graduate of West Point who has the President's ear. He has created a bold new strategy on winning the war on terror by creating small operation points inside Afghanistan to attack the enemy. He is a confident swift talking politician and gives a great performance.

Cruise's character is selling his plan to Meryl Streep's character who is a reporter. Streep plays an interesting foil to Cruise as she questions the "company line" about the new tactic. She portrays a convincing character who is having a crises of conscience about printing the truth or reporting the news.

The second part revolves around Robert Redford who is a college political science teacher who is trying to reach an apathetic student (Andrew Garfield). Redford plays an old Vietnam vet who is trying to reach Garfield and make him care again. Through-out this section of the movie we learn about two of Redford's old students who took activism and joined the US Army in order to change the world. It is an interesting debate that is well acted out.

The final section of the movie deals with Redford's two former students who are part of Cruise's forward operation points. You learn about what happens to these two students and Cruise's great plan to win the war on terror.

This is a good movie. It is very character driven and an interesting look at how the war on terror is run.

4/5
Latsyrhc
Tamarack Collectibles

This film is an insightful assessment predominately of the two Republican wars: Afghanistan and the occupation of Iraq from various perspectives. These perspectives include a slippery GOP Senator engaging in Orwellian double speak, half-truths and propaganda; a journalist with honest intentions that recognizes her organization's complicity in selling the war leading to the death of 1000's of Americans founded on lies; two brave ideological students who become Army rangers in the hope of making a difference; a wise college professor that recognizes that in America today, lion warriors fight for lamb leadership which have no skin in the game; and a cynical "every man" college student struggling between apathy and activism.

If you are not open to honest dialog and introspection, do not seek the truth, are a political or religious ideologue, are one of the 58 percent of Americans that can not identify the three branches of government but can name the three stooges, are part of the apathy crowd, are one that actively engages in cognitive dissonance, are an authoritarian follower, or if your idea of entertainment is just watching things blow up, then this film is not for you. Therefore, this film will have a more limited audience that appreciates the intelligent dialog.

I highly recommend this movie! I had seen it once before purchasing it, and I like it's message about the reasons why military people do what they do for a living. This is a fragmented story with all the characters related in some way. The way it's told really makes you examine how one thinks of success, and also how to truely make a difference through engagement/action. All actors did an excellent job. I find this to be a movie you can watch over and over without getting bored with it, which is another reason why I decided to purchased it.

I love the story the movie has to tell and how telling it is about the politics of today. Highly recommended

this movie is so real for the times it makes you really think about our boys and what they are going through, it is so sad that we have to live this way. very real and aery intresting movie , keeps your intrest all the way.
i purchased this movie because i saw it at the movies and i wanted my family to see it too.

i like certain parts of it , I like when she figure what was going on.because i
what to watch the movie and that like meryl streep as well Robert Redford.

tom cruise is an very convincent politician,robert redford as an teacher,is also very good,the kid is so convincent that the teacher wants to change his mind.also the reporter,also very good,this movie is what politics,war,and recruiting is all about.

I really enjoyed this movie. I can see how some people would find this boring, but I did not. I found it very insightful

This is a purely political story which comes at the time a general election is about to occur. Although the performances are superb, the three alternating sections of the film make for poor continuity since it can be difficult to remember what was occurring by the time you get back to that section of the film. Certainly worth watching regardless of your political beliefs of our present state of affairs.

I started to watch this DVD which had received great accolades but within half an hour (yes I gave it that long) I was reading the newspaper. My husband watched it to the end and we both looked at each other and thought what a waste! I guess someone will think it is good, but we did not.

Although I have some poor reviews of this movie, I thought the subject was gripping and the presentation balanced. I thought the acting eas superior. The presentation of the themes of the movie is well designed by the director. Possibly some people may not like the political content of the mavie as they see it from their prospective but the movie actually presents the struggle anyone faces who wants to make their life purpose worthwhile.

It was what I wanted. Great actors. Action/adventure movie with great people doing a thorough job of character acting.