Cheap Cds - Lions For Lambs [2007]

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Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:

Summary: Earnest but uninvolving
Comment: You know those movies that you watch, and find so compelling you say to people `you HAVE to see this
movie...'? Well, this movie aims for this, but alas merely reaches the heights of `Yeah, it's worth
watching...'.
The film revolves around 3 storylines, essentially taking place simultaneously,
and in real time, but this structure is not religiously adhered to as there are also some
flashbacks. In Washington, a senior Senator rumoured to be a potential Presidential candidate,
invites a respected journalist from a major TV news network, to give her an exclusive on the latest
tactics being used in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, that push is shown through the eyes of two soldiers
in the Special Forces, as the mission goes wrong and they are stuck behind enemy lines. The final
strand is in a University, as the professor Robert Redford talks to a student full of potential but
with more than enough cynicism and apathy to go with it. He shares his experience with the story of
the two Special Forces soldiers, who were students of his and left to `go make a difference'. />It's a movie brimming with talent to be sure, with Robert Redford directing and Tom Cruise and
Meryl Streep acting their socks off.. Cruise does give a compellingly convincing portrayal of a
senior politician, convinced of his moral high ground but using it to further his career as much or
if not more than doing the right thing. Streep also gives a performance which at times seems just a
little too self consciously rounded, when something stripped down to basics would have done just as
well. Her tics and mannerisms would have been better served in a movie which focused on her
character. Redford is.. well, simply Redford.
The script, when we hear the characters
debating with each other (which is most of the movie - don't go expecting an action flick whatever
you do..) is intelligent and gets across its message clearly enough. Engagement is needed - apathy
is a recipe for disaster, whether it be apathy on an individuals part or on the part of the media.
Clumsy parallels to Vietnam are made. However, we don't have time to warm to any of the characters,
neither are arcs to the characters developed, such that the movie ultimately feels like a lecture -
something that a documentary could have done as well - or even better, using actual facts instead of
drama.
Worth watching for some good performances and literate script, but should have been
much more. How did such interesting talent combine to make such a mediocre product - is making a
statement on war so much at odds with good film-making these days?

Customer Rating:

Summary: Clever anti-war propaganda
Comment: I was surprised at some of the reviews. This propaganda film was made for America and portrays
America as it wants to see itself. All the elements of patriotism are there: Cruise as the
Bush-supporting politician who has his version of the world, Redford as the slightly cynical
activist lecturer and Streep as a `middle of the road' but anti war journalist. All the American
based issues about the 'War on Terror' are there. It is totally from the American mindset and its
message is not as powerful to European eyes, but you have to admit that as piece of anti-war
propaganda for American audiences, it is brilliantly done. American films on this issue are usually
less than subtle so with that in mind, this movie is quite innovative. This has all the hallmarks of
this sort of movie: ex-students who sacrifice themselves for the good of the country (confusingly
they are anti-war but joined the armed forces) even the (air) cavalry were there but unfortunately
were too late to save 'scalps' but did manage to wipe out all the `Indians'. It takes a different
spin to pro-war propaganda and as a totally internal piece of American propaganda, I though it was
very interesting and well worth watching. Quite brave really for Redford, true it did not go `all
the way' with its anti-war message but it did get it across without alienating the `other' side. As
such, it is a good political statement for US consumption.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Not perfect, but important none the less
Comment: Possessing Streep, Redford and Cruise (regardless of all sofa-jumping exercises) is an inevitable
bonus for any film and one that is used frequently and wisely by the director, Redford himself.
Additionally, the excellent Andrew Garfield is an ample support as the youth who has the potential
to do, and achieve, anything. The dialogue is fantastic, the action is powerful and the pace is
necessarily frantic, this being the reason for the rapid runtime (not an act of mercy as has been
suggested!). Unfortunately, the film does become caught up in its own poetic message concerning the
unnecessary sacrifice of war, but what is apparent is the careful accumulation and presentation of a
variety of perspectives in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. This is a film that isn't perfect,
but it is essential viewing for all who wish to retain a positively thoughtful approach to the
various questions posed in our world.

Customer Rating:

Summary: Oh dear!
Comment: Hurrah for Redford for attempting to make a film that reflects the anti-war views of sane Americans.
But my goodness, he could have done a lot better.

What a waste. Cardboard cut out
performances from the entire cast, a pretentious script, a complete lack of tension and depth, all
of which combine to produce a complete turkey.

It tries to be intellectual, but its
morality message is as subtle as a brick.

Customer Rating:

Summary: absolutely genius
Comment: To the earlier reviewer (Top 1000 - seriously???) I can only wonder whether he's actually seen the
movie, and I mean no offense, but I just can't wait for the DVD to finally come out.
/>Genious script and writing, the dialogues are so genuine and hardly ever contrived and with
beautifully developed characters.
Brilliant and original storytelling that manages to not fall
into the 3-different-storylines-but-all-are-connected-clichee quite superbly. Each perspective is
told independently by leaving personal links between the character incidental and largely irrelevant
to the story.
Stellar perfomances by the ensemble cast, that bring each character to life.
Cruise is remarkably spot-on, Meryl Streep excels as always.
Perhaps the most striking feature
of the film: It doesn't offer easy answers, simply tells a complex story, and brillianty so.

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