“Lions for Lambs”, is Robert Redford’s first film as a director in seven years; it’s his most overtly political drama, an intelligent, at times provocative, it’s political agenda is loud and clear.
“Lions” is headed by Redford, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise in his most powerful performance to date.
Screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan Carnahan’s saga story takes place on three tense and emotional fronts, each with considerable personal stakes.
Republican Senator Jasper Irving (Cruise) is about to give a sensational story about his new war strategy in Afghanistan to probing TV journalist Janine Roth (Streep).
Streep and Cruise’s scenes together steal the show. Their conversation is smart and alert; they challenge each others back bone and stance on how the war on terrorism is being handled. We witness how the two pros engage in a fierce game of wit and evasion.
Confined to a single set, and only interrupted by several calls, which allows Roth to examine documents and photos in Irving’s office, the scene plays like a stage scene.
Cut to a West Coast University, a once idealistic sixty something professor, Dr. Malley (Robert Redford) confronts a privileged but laid back student (Andrew Garfield) in need of fire and in danger of never fulfilling his potential without his encouragement. Disappointed with his own publishing career and emotionally burnt of teaching, Malley puts all his cards on the table in advocating direct political engagement.
There’s a personal note here, and we get the impression that the student reminds Malley of his own youthful and idealistic days.
Meanwhile, in the heat of battle in Afghanistan, two of Dr. Malley’s former students, Arian (Derek Luke) and Ernest (Michael Peña), lay bare the debates and arguments of their mentors and politicians, fighting for their sheer survival. It’s significant, I think, that the two soldiers are a Latino and a black man, pretty much reflecting the demographics of the military.
“Lambs” voices different point of views; ultimately, it comes across as anti-Bush platform and would have been much more effective had it been made two or three years ago.
The film is effective, emotionally charged and thought provoking.
The film could be used as an effective educational tool in high-schools and colleges to ignite debate about the state of the union, how American politicians, professors, journalists, and ordinary people have dropped their political engagement and sunk into cynicism and apathy, thus neglecting their basic duties and responsibilities as citizens in a young democratic society based on freedom of speech and organization.
“Lambs” may come off as dull and preachy, but in a day and age where movies are meant to entertain there comes a film that provokes a passionate conversation on the war on terrorism.
