The film Lions for Lambs is an honest attempt to portray the spicy geopolitical climate in its raw, unedited and costly truth. The film takes place in three films, one between two brother's in arms, another between a student and his teacher and another between a journalist and a pathocratic senator. Each vignette offers an illuminating look at the reality of our situation, and I mean our because each one of us can somehow fit into the film itself.
The brother's in arms are interestingly, two previous students of the professor we're introduced to. We're shown their military adventure in Afghanistan as they attempt to fulfill a new strategy issued by the senator. Their characters are bold, courageous, and strong-willed. They have an incredible power of conscience, and a desire to do what is right. Their failing? They lack accurate psychological knowledge of the men who lead them. They are Lions for Lambs.
The pathocratic senator is played exceedingly well by Tom Cruise. I'd never thought I'd enjoy his performance as much as I did in this film. He shows a psychopathic ability to mix words, to tug on a normal man's emotions, to lie with the cunning conviction he is right, more then that - that he is righteous - because he possesses a pathological nature that prevents him from seeing, thinking or believing otherwise. The journalist who shares his entire vignette is played by Meryl Streep, and her desire to honestly do her job and do it right comes through strong. She is invited by the senator for an hour to discuss the 'new strategy' in Afghanistan, and to help relay it to the public. She does an excellent job of asking the questions anyone of conscience would ask, and we can see Cruises' character's pathology if we pay attention.
The last vignette is between Robert Redford, who plays a professor at an unnamed California University and a student of his that shows much promise. The student has potential, but feels as if he'd be happier with a 'normal life', keeping his head down, getting a good job, and making the best out of his life without trying to play a big role in world events. He makes a good argument, but is countered by experience, wisdom and an understanding which he cannot quite grasp due to his youth. For the greater part of the interaction we're not even sure if an impact is made, if his armor is dented, but there is hope reflected in the very last scene that makes the entire bit worth it.
The core of the film is a display of the reality of our situation here in America. Our politicians are self-serving, lying, pathological monsters who are irredeemable and incapable of change. The establishment that is Mainstream Media is saturated with people who are solely 'doing their job' or so they think, by reporting what they are told - propaganda or not. Some of them are damn good people, who have a strong conscience, but due to circumstance (mostly age and financial obligations) cannot change. Their potential to be something different has dried up.
Then we are shown the best and the brightest. Two out of three of which ended up believing their abilities would best be used serving this country in it's war effort. They had the conscience, the dedication and the will to do something new, bold and dramatic - but they didn't have the knowledge that would have allowed their effort to really make an impact, and the results are given to us dramatically.
The third student is a wild card, we're really not sure what he does by the end of the film, but we're given hope that he may attempt something great - to succeed or fail matters not, but that he may attempt it gives us hope. In my mind I saw all of us as that third student. Young, smart, definitely lazy and more interested in social life and girls then knowledge and wisdom which would allow him to fight to change the world. He is the future, the potential future, it exists only as a potential because it is possible, but extremely difficult to manifest. It can only happen with dedication, conscience, and knowledge - which are much more difficult to acquire then a video game, television show, sports event or event a really hot lay.
That is the core of the film, if we want to make an impact, to make positive changes to our world, to become our potential as individuals and as a society we have to want it, we have to try for it, and we have to make it a daily effort.
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Reviews with images
Geo-politics on the level of "My Pet Goat."
Tom Cruise explains Afghanistan in words of one syllable, with a silly little smile on his silly little face.
Top reviews from other countries
Carole
C'est un film que je n'avais jamais vu auparavant.
Reviewed in Canada on January 30, 2022peargoat
bien réalisé . Une analyse excellente des différences entre les générations
Reviewed in France on August 13, 2024Amazon Customer
Redford directs and stars with Streep & Cruise.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 29, 2024![CAP AMERICA2 TWS US/ED/UD1/BD1/UD [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51TqLF6akHL._AC_UF480,480_SR480,480_.jpg)
