World Famous Comics: Lions For Lambs (Widescreen Edition)
Lions For Lambs (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, Michael Peña, Andrew Garfield Directed By: Robert Redford Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: United Artists Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: April 08, 2008 Running Time: 92 minutes Theatrical Release Date: November 09, 2007
Product Description: Robert Redford Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep deliver "three knockout performances" (Vue Weekly) in this powerful story about how the decision makers at the top affect American soldiers on the ground half a world away.An idealistic professor (Redford) a charismatic U.S. Senator (Cruise) and a probing TV journalist (Streep) have opposing viewpoints about the actions of our nation and the attitudes of its citizens. But the human consequences of war become chillingly clear for two of the professor's former students who find themselves trapped behind enemy lines fighting for freedom... and their very lives.System Requirements:Running Time: 91 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/POLITICAL DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 883904100089 Manufacturer No: M110008
Amazon.com: The considerable authority of Robert Redford pulls some heavyweight talent into Lions for Lambs, a rare Hollywood foray into flat-out political filmmaking. Three dramas, all connected, play out simultaneously during the same hour: On a mountainside in Afghanistan, two U.S. soldiers (Michael Pena and Derek Luke) find themselves stranded during a new military surge; on Capitol Hill, a Republican senator (Tom Cruise) tries to sell the new strategy to a seasoned reporter (Meryl Streep); and in California, a professor (Redford) tries to light the fire of commitment in an increasingly apathetic college student (Andrew Garfield). Director Redford cuts back and forth amongst these arenas, a gambit which thankfully obscures how weak the one non-talkfest (the Afghanistan segment) really is. You can tell Redford and screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan put their juice in the debate between Cruise and Streep, which summarizes Right and Left views on the Middle Eastern wars, and does so reasonably lucidly--although there is little here that would surprise anyone who has looked into the subject. The college section suggests Redford's belief that there are lots of people, distracted by tabloid culture and self-centeredness, who haven't looked into the subject. So he lectures us about it, sounding suspiciously like an old geezer remembering the good old days. If this film had been released in 2004, it might at least have bucked majority opinion, but coming out in fall of 2007, it already felt like old news. --Robert Horton
An honest attempt to portray our reality, as it is. The film Lions for Lambs is an honest attempt to portray the spicy geopolitical climate in its raw, unedited and costly truth. The film takes place in three films, one between two brother's in arms, another between a student and his teacher and another between a journalist and a pathocratic senator. Each vignette offers an illuminating look at the reality of our situation, and I mean our because each one of us can somehow fit into the film itself.
The brother's in arms are interestingly, two previous students of the professor we're introduced to. We're shown their military adventure in Afghanistan as they attempt to fulfill a new strategy issued by the senator. Their characters are bold, courageous, and strong-willed. They have an incredible power of conscience, and a desire to do what is right. Their failing? They lack accurate psychological knowledge of the men who lead them. They are Lions for Lambs.
The pathocratic senator is played exceedingly well by Tom Cruise. I'd never thought I'd enjoy his performance as much as I did in this film. He shows a psychopathic ability to mix words, to tug on a normal man's emotions, to lie with the cunning conviction he is right, more then that - that he is righteous - because he possesses a pathological nature that prevents him from seeing, thinking or believing otherwise. The journalist who shares his entire vignette is played by Meryl Streep, and her desire to honestly do her job and do it right comes through strong. She is invited by the senator for an hour to discuss the 'new strategy' in Afghanistan, and to help relay it to the public. She does an excellent job of asking the questions anyone of conscience would ask, and we can see Cruises' character's pathology if we pay attention.
The last vignette is between Robert Redford, who plays a professor at an unnamed California University and a student of his that shows much promise. The student has potential, but feels as if he'd be happier with a 'normal life', keeping his head down, getting a good job, and making the best out of his life without trying to play a big role in world events. He makes a good argument, but is countered by experience, wisdom and an understanding which he cannot quite grasp due to his youth. For the greater part of the interaction we're not even sure if an impact is made, if his armor is dented, but there is hope reflected in the very last scene that makes the entire bit worth it.
The core of the film is a display of the reality of our situation here in America. Our politicians are self-serving, lying, pathological monsters who are irredeemable and incapable of change. The establishment that is Mainstream Media is saturated with people who are solely 'doing their job' or so they think, by reporting what they are told - propaganda or not. Some of them are damn good people, who have a strong conscience, but due to circumstance (mostly age and financial obligations) cannot change. Their potential to be something different has dried up.
Then we are shown the best and the brightest. Two out of three of which ended up believing their abilities would best be used serving this country in it's war effort. They had the conscience, the dedication and the will to do something new, bold and dramatic - but they didn't have the knowledge that would have allowed their effort to really make an impact, and the results are given to us dramatically.
The third student is a wild card, we're really not sure what he does by the end of the film, but we're given hope that he may attempt something great - to succeed or fail matters not, but that he may attempt it gives us hope. In my mind I saw all of us as that third student. Young, smart, definitely lazy and more interested in social life and girls then knowledge and wisdom which would allow him to fight to change the world. He is the future, the potential future, it exists only as a potential because it is possible, but extremely difficult to manifest. It can only happen with dedication, conscience, and knowledge - which are much more difficult to acquire then a video game, television show, sports event or event a really hot lay.
That is the core of the film, if we want to make an impact, to make positive changes to our world, to become our potential as individuals and as a society we have to want it, we have to try for it, and we have to make it a daily effort.
A realistic seeming movie I was going to say it was realistic, but then I realised that I have no idea what the inside of a senator's office is actually like...
I watched this film for a political science class. I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was soem really great dialogue here and the views were well balanced. Nothing, aside from the two friends "last stand" at the film's end seemed hacknyed.
A lot of people complained that the movie was boring because it lacked action. I for one, disagree. I thought that the ideas being flushed out in the film, as well as the tension between the senator (Cruise) and the reporter (Streep), the proffesor and the bright student, and the Rodriguez and Finch's arguments with their classroom really drove this film. And that's the problem that other's might have with it; the film is character driven, not action.
There's a lot of great ideas here. Are we repeating the same mistakes as we did in Vietnam? Is the news media more concerned with revenue and entertainment than it is actual news? Does public relations drive the political process? Also, I really liked Finch and Rodriguez's argument that the United States practises "engagement" all over the world, but we do not engage many of our own neighbourhoods.
I think its a great movie for those of you who are interested in politics or media. However, if you want a Rambo or something then... well, Stalone just finished another one, didn't he?
A bit of cinematic clunkiness but well worth it The dialogue and the three interweaving stories--all focusing on contemporary American politics may not be the cleverest or most elegant piece of filmmaking, but it has a strong thesis and an important one, and in its directness makes accessible to a lot of complacent Americans who don't seem to get what is really going on in our 'democracy'. Since Hollywood has conditioned us to eschew movies with lengthy dialogue and strong mission statements--unlike many other forms of creative narrative like Greek drama, the works of G. B. Shaw, or B. Brecht--it will be hard for many viewers to actually sit still to listen to a ten minute conversation between a college professor (Rob Redford) and a student, during a meeting in his office. However, if the film gets rid of at least some of the spider webs that obfuscate our thinking, it will have accomplished something few films demonstrate: that the U.S. has been transformed into the ultimate disposable consumer culture: young people are disposable in the eyes of our adminstration that is too cowardly to try something that takes effort: that is thought and understanding about geopolitics. The lambs, the executive branch and the senate myrmidons--using a quote from Churchill throw its young lions into battle with the knowledge that they and their loved ones are safe behind a veneer of lies and ambition. Unfortunatley the two protagonists who decide to enlist in the army to fight for America even knowing the mission might not be the right one have misplaced allegiances. A far more patriotic act on their part would be to go to a local gun store, and put a couple of slugs to the heads of our executives. But that would require a reversal in the title, maybe "Lions Offing a couple of lamb weaklings that hide behind mindless rhetoric.
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.
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.
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