Rating of
2.5/4
Redford’s Wordy but Goodhearted War-time Sermon "L
efrain - wrote on 11/14/07
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, “Shooter”), who, in response to the professor’s inspiration to change their world, enlist in the U.S. military, much to his dismay.
Arian and Ernest are now braving the mountains of Afghanistan on a dangerous military operation created by a hotshot congressman (Tom Cruise) who may be as interested in winning the war as he is in setting himself up for the Presidency. A veteran TV journalist (Meryl Streep) interviews the congressman about this apparently beneficial military action, but has a feeling it may be too good to be true.
Got all that? Good.
The movie’s plot elements are generic so as to reflect our current state of affairs in a sense of allegory. This, however, may also be where the movie suffers. Because Redford is dealing with such heavy and relevant topics painted so broadly, his good-intentioned, socio-political film starts to feel more like a lighthearted and thought-inspiring docu-drama (read: after-school special?).
That isn’t a bad thing, but it sort of adds up to a Sunday sermon on our war-ridden era. Like a lot of church-goers may (or may not) know, sermons don’t always inspire action (the world would be a better place if they did). They can at least inspire repentance, a change in thinking, which is what Redford, the director, tries to do with his new film. I didn’t feel like he was waving his big gnarly finger at me though. It was like he wanted to say, “I’m not moving to Canada, so let’s sit and talk about this.”
Okay well, not exactly like that, but you’ll see what I mean. But the call for personal action and responsibility as American citizens is loud and clear in the film, its tagline being: “If you don’t stand for something, you might fall for anything.” However, the message may not be loud enough to get through to a “question everything, believe nothing, serve no one but my PlayStation” generation.
And “tsk!” goes the collective sound of a thousand college students. Seriously though, to balance that out, the message of standing up for something may not be heart-pricking to anyone.
Overall, Redford asks in regards to our involvement with the Middle East: “What do we do next?” Even as far as spurring us to action by having those words uttered by a smiling and seemingly perfect congressman who may have devious and ulterior motives.
“Lions for Lambs” is good, not great, but it’s something to talk about; a definite must-see for those interested in thinking toward change in America.
