Lions for Lambs

I still don’t know what to think of Lions for Lambs. Since I saw it yesterday, my mind keeps returning to some of the questions raised in the script, so I guess it worked in that aspect. Lions of Lambs definitely doesn’t give you answers but it does make you think, if you’re willing to let them in. The critics have been pretty harsh on this film, but that has to expected with something this politically charged. Probably the biggest complaint, however, is how these questions are presented through alot of static sitting and talking. It is for this reason I think Lions for Lambs would have worked ten times better as a play.

There is a lot of talking in this film. I was trying to think another film that involved this much sitting and discussion. All I could come up with was Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes, but that one had more vignettes and dealt with more inane, yet entertaining, chatter. The two main (and best) storylines are basically interviews that cover the gullibleness of the media, the “must-win” attitude of the government and the youth’s apathetic response to the war. The acting is superb. Tom Cruise is perfectly cast as a slick Republican trying to sell his version of the war to a doubting, yet shrewd, journalist played by Meryl Streep. Their cat and mouse dialogue is a treat to watch; I loved watching them attack each other but remaining respectfully polite. Robert Redford, who also directs this film, plays a college professor who tries to gage the commitment of an absent student, played surprising well be newcomer Andrew Garfield. Imagine getting the opportunity to sit in a room alone with Redford for probably five days of shooting and holding your own against this Hollywood icon. Garfield graduated from a drama school three years ago; talk about scary. Maybe it’s this freshness that works so well in this scene. As a teacher, I enjoyed watching Redford’s tactics as he tries reasoning with this indifferent student who possesses great potential. With Redford and Garfield showing differing age responses to the war, I wondered where I would fit on the spectrum.

The third storyline in Lions for Lambs, falls a little short for me despite the great performances by Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher, Glory Road) and Michael Pena (Crash, World Trade Center). As students who ignored Redford’s sage advice and joined the army, we are shown a frontline response to war as compared to the other armchair politic storylines. What worked in this story that dealt with stranded soldiers, was the flashbacks to their college days in Redford’s class trying to show skeptical classmates how one man can make a difference. The scenes in the field seemed a little too manipulative to me. In fact, most scenes that were shot outdoors seemed too calculating. There is a shot of Meryl Streep at the end of the film that is completely unnecessary and took away from her storyline. The movie played best when it was just two people talking to each other. This is why I think it would work way better as a play. A morality play at that.

Lions for Lambs was written by Matthew Michael Carnahan who also penned The Kingdom script (hence the appearance of Kingdom director, Peter Berg). Carnahan, obviously, has a lot of opinions surrounding the current wars going on in the Middle East. I found his thoughts much more refreshing in this piece. Redford does a great job directing his actors. There is not much action in this film, but the questions are put forth nicely. I also love that the answers are not given out. The audience is forced to adopt their own opinion as certain characters struggle to make their life-changing decisions.

So what bothered me the most were the manipulative elements thrown in at the end of the film. Only one storyline ends perfectly while the other two try to control your emotions. If you watch the film, I’m sure you’ll know which one I liked. I also hated the images done for the closing credits; the poorly conceived Without a Trace disappearance act almost put a bad taste in my mouth as I left the theatre. See, you wouldn’t get this in a play. If Lions for Lambs was done as a theatrical drama, you would walk away with the powerful questions instead of the manipulative images. Maybe Broadway will listen to me.

I would wait to see this film on DVD. I would see this film with a bunch of people and make time for a discussion afterwards. It would be great if people could use Lions for Lambs as a catalyst to start exploring their own opinions on government, media, military, terrorism, youth, education and responsibility. Hey, it got me thinking.