Review

Lions for Lambs (2007)

Cast: Tom Cruise, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep

Director: Robert Redford

Synopsis: Robert Redford played double role in this film as a director and actor, his idealistic professor tried to make one of his student thinking and choosing the right life position. At the same time two non-native American his students decided to join the army and fight for the USA in Afghanistan. The war is also discussed by Senator Irving and journalist Roth, who for money and famous had to publish necessary for the Government articles and became an instrument of their propaganda.

Review:

It is 2007, the war in Afghanistan has been enduring for 6 years and all film’s pieces connect with it. Under the pieces I mean unrelated storylines such as the interview with Senator, the conversation with the student and hostilities in Afghanistan. The atmosphere of the film fills with difficult philosophic questions which make us thinking about our purposes of life.

The first piece of the film focuses on Republican Senator Jasper Irving, a politician with a risky idea on how to stop the war. He invites a journalist and in one hour exclusive  interview tells her about his new plan of attack. It Irving's plan: to surprise the enemy by using smaller, quick-moving military units. It means that the soilders will have less chances to stay alive that earlier. But this fact does not influence Senator and he is ready to sacrifice their lives for turning the war around. I think that the soldiers are the Lions, who die for the country and government’s decisions. At the same time, Lambs are the government; people who sit in their offices and send the Lions for death.

The second piece shows us how the Professor Malley is having an early morning meeting with one of his current students, Todd Hayes. The young man is a naturally bright student, but has fallen into a state of political social apathy as witnessed by his class attendance record. Malley tries to wake up his life and political position, speak about necessary changes in society and the most important thing he says is that our life depends on only our decisions, we can trust only ourselves and choose the way of living which must influence other people’s lives. I think the director addresses not only Todd Hayes but whole young generation of the world calling them change things they do not like.

And the third storyline is about two clever non-native American students who made the real changes in their lives and went to the war. They became the members of the new Senator’s strategy and instead of Pr. Malley’s discouragement joined the American troops. They decided to change the USA but only became the Lions for Lambs. They were killed to show how many young men perish in this war and no one in the government carries about it.

Speaking about acting I can say that I was impressed by all actors, they could show necessary emotions. Meryl Streep could display her reluctance and disapproval of what the Senator said, Tom Cruz showed an ambitious, confident politician who really was ready to sacrifice many things and people for reaching the main goal. And Michael Pena as Ernest Rodriguez and Derek Luke as Arian Finch could display real feelings of people who are going to be killed.

In conclusion I would like to say that this film makes me thinking about the real situation in the world, there are a lot of things that we can change if only we think with our heads not with politicians or somebody else’ ones.