Lions for Lambs (2007)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Robert Redford

Writer (WGA):

Matthew Michael Carnahan (written by)

Release Date:

9 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | War

Tagline:

If you don't STAND for something, you might FALL for anything

Plot:

Injuries sustained by two Army ranger behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a congressman, a journalist and a professor.

Plot Keywords:

Afghanistan | Professor | Decision | California | Reporter

Cast

Robert Redford	...	Professor Stephen Malley
Meryl Streep	...	Janine Roth
Tom Cruise	...	Senator Jasper Irving
Michael Peña	...	Ernest Rodriguez
Andrew Garfield	...	Todd Hayes
Peter Berg	...	Lt. Col. Falco
Kevin Dunn	...	ANX Editor
Derek Luke	...	Arian Finch
Larry Bates	...	Soldier
Christopher May	...	Soldier
David Pease	...	Soldier
Heidi Janson	...	Soldier
Christopher Carley	...	Sniper
George Back	...	Student
Kristy Wu	...	Student

Also Known As:

Lions et agneaux (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Leones por Corderos (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Arslani Kuzulara (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Gyávák és hosök (Hungary) [hu]
Hrdinové a zbabelci (Czech Republic) [cs]
Jaganjci i lavovi (Croatia) [hr]
Kes liigutavad ettureid? (Estonia) [et]
Løver for lam (Norway) [no]
Leões e Cordeiros (Brazil) [pt]
Lejon och lamm (Sweden) [sv]
Leoni per agnelli (Italy) [it]
Leontes anti amnon (Greece) [el]
Ukryta strategia (Poland) [pl]
Von Löwen und Lämmern (Germany) [de]

MPAA:

Rated R for some war violence and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

UK:15 | South Korea:15 | Ireland:12A | Netherlands:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | Hong Kong:IIB | Taiwan:R-18 | Malaysia:U | Philippines:PG-13 | South Africa:10M | Denmark:11 | Sweden:11 | Norway:11 | Germany:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | USA:R (certificate #43901) | Argentina:13 | Argentina:16 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Brazil:12 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Norway:10 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Claremont, California, USA

Company:

Andell Entertainment

Trivia:

The photo that Jenine (Meryl Streep) observes on Senator Irving's (Tom Cruise) office wall of him dressed as a young cadet is a still photo from Cruise's role in the 1981 film Taps (1981).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Janine and Senator Irving are leaving his office he puts on his blazer and his collar flips up, he attempts to flip it down as he lowers his arms but fails. When the camera switches angles his arms are down and magically so is his collar.

Quotes:

Janine Roth: We took Iraq? How did I miss that?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-11-10)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Pretentious movie "makes a point"

Anyone of even moderate intelligence is likely to feel somewhat patronised by this movie. It's not that I disagree with the questions it poses, it just delivers its message in a frustratingly condescending manner.

The politician with an agenda character, complete with predictable propaganda patter, was an unnecessary cliché. I get it already! The reflective college professor and the brilliantly irritating self-obsessed student also excessively laboured their respective points.

Although I may empathise with some of the sentiments in this movie, I did not enjoy being spoon-fed its trite message. As I said, anyone of even moderate intelligence is likely to already understand the message anyway. The audience this film may be trying to "reach" probably won't have the stamina to chew through this dry and stolid sermon.