Movie Information
Overall Rank: 8228
Average Rating: 2.5/4
# of Ratings: 67
Theatrical Release Date: 11/09/2007
Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 04/08/2008
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Robert Redford
Actors: Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Michael Pena, Derek Luke, Andrew Garfield
Plot: A journalist, congressman, and professor get involved with a story surround two Army Rangers injured in Afghanistan while rumors, spin, and truths fly.
Quick Movie Reviews
Rating of
2.5/4
Rod - wrote on 03/12/2012
In an issue of terror in United States of America, Senator Jasper Irving, journalist Janine Roth and Professor Stephen Malley would take it with differences. Two army rangers are out on the Afghan territory and a student who would choose not to involve himself and care only about his grade at school illustrates that same differences- the lions and the lambs. *** Very good story but struggled on presentation. Acting was good, everyone did it decently. How the story would be presented creatively fell on the critical regions. The dialogues probably bore the audience and would probably end up not watchable if not for the scenes of the two army rangers. At least, it has good actors to work on it.
Rating of
2/4
Alex - wrote on 06/08/2008
Tom Cruise has always been one of my favorites (since Risky Business). It has not made many average movies and in fact many have made it into my top 100. His last two outings have not been good. It had no backbone. Too preachy.
Rating of
2/4
Tino - wrote on 05/22/2008
Mediocre at best. This film does aim high, and brings up some interesting points and views, but not a whole lot that most intelligent Americans (which this is definitely the key demographic for this movie) don't already know. Performances are good, with Streep showing the best performance by far. This movie wants to be a hard-hitting action film or a question raising think-piece, but it falls short into the category of boring, mediocre political drama.
Full Movie Reviews
Rating of
3/4
Smart with Words
Franz Patrick - wrote on 07/13/2008
I thought this was an articulate film even though I didn't learn much from it. I guess it also helped that it shared my point of view about the war since I didn't really want to think because I saw it around one o'clock in the morning. There are three intertwining stories but I think only two worked: the first is Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep's chess-like interview and the second is Robert Redford and Andrew Garfield's conversation about unused potential. The bit about the war was too loud and preachy, whereas the other two are quiet but smart with words. Unsurprisingly, for me, Meryl Streep stole the show because she's elegant even though she's not trying. Every little sneer or scoff says a lot and it was deeply fascinating. Andrew Garfield was engaging as well because I could relate to …
Rating of
2.5/4
Redford’s Wordy but Goodhearted War-time Sermon "L
efrain - wrote on 11/14/2007
A wordy and passionate lecture on the uncertain nature of our current involvement with the Middle East, “Lions for Lambs” focuses on some who have the potential to make a difference: young passionate minds, the media, and the government.
A political science professor (Robert Redford) at a California University challenges one of his smart-but-slacker student’s disinterest regarding academics, politics, and the war in Iraq. This typical California college student has smart and bold opinions, but he prefers to scream in silent protest while pursuing his career in the rat-race of America.
This jaded complacency is contrasted with the hopeful and active idealism of two of the professor’s former students, Arian (Derek Luke, “Glory Road”) and Ernest (Michael Peña, …
Rating of
3/4
Like a Lamb Led to the Slaughter
Allison - wrote on 11/03/2007
This was much better than I expected. After "The Kingdom" (aka "The Trainwreck"), I had little to no hope for this movie (they both had the same screenwriter). But LfL was intelligent, moving, coherent, and open-ended which made for great viewing.
My chief complaint about "The Kingdom" was that everyone escaped unscathed. Here, it seems there is a little more reality. Meryl Streep was much better in this movie than in "Rendition". She was able to balance being humorous and serious, dare I say perfectly.
Robert Redford was outstanding as a director and actor. The two supporting actors (Michael Peña and Derek Luke) who played soldiers were excellent.
The movie slowly won me over. After all, I was a tough sell and was incredibly apprehensive. But this is not only an …
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