Take the Long Way Home

A little ragamuffin – strong willed, feisty and wily, finds himself waking up on a bench at a train station with his older brother nowhere in sight. With his mother at home, he shouts for his missing brother, but nothing comes of it. He searches an abandoned train, only to fall asleep sometime in the night. When he wakes, the still empty train is moving. When it finally stops, he finds himself in Calcutta, nearly two thousand miles away from his hometown, not knowing the Bengali language or having anywhere to turn.

It is this bizarre and unfortunate circumstance that is the genesis and heart of the story Lion, first time filmmaker Garth Davis’ moving drama. The young boy is Saroo (Sunny Pawar), his fatherly older brother is Guddu (Abhishek Bharate), and his caring impoverished mother is Kamla (Priyanka Bose). Though theirs is a tough life in a rural Indian town, filled with hardship and many struggles, love permeates their family.

Only five when the fateful event happens, he knows little of his surroundings (only ever calling his mother ‘mum’, he believes his village is called ‘Ginestlay’, though does not know what territory it is part of). Surviving on the streets of Calcutta, like a juvenile and more serious version of Charlie Chaplin’s The Tramp, he follows his instincts to great effect – avoiding trouble and uncaring apathy at nearly every turn. Director Davis places us in the crumbling shoes of the little one, beautifully capturing the daunting behemoth of a city, with its sprawling packed streets and dangerous threats. We too are bustled by the crowds, chased by unknown assailants and are wary of those people who do seemingly offer a helping hand. Saroo scavenges to survive, allowing his childish naivety to push him forward as he impressively moves on in a world that he has never known. It truly feels like a poignant silent film, though there is sparse dialogue throughout.

He is soon brought into a police station where they document him. Sending him to an orphanage, they cannot find anyone who knows the boy – eventually finding a couple in Tasmania who want to adopt him. Entering another world that is a far cry from what he has known, he is cared for by the loving John and Sue Brierley (David Wenham and Nicole Kidman), who, after a successful year with Saroo, adopt another Indian boy named Mantosh (Keshav Jadhav).

Flash forward more than twenty years, and a grown Saroo (now played by Dev Patel), is the apple of the eye of his parents. Kind, mature and heading off to school to become a hotel manager, they have given him a grand chance at living a happy and successful life. Meanwhile, Mantosh (Divian Ladwa) has struggled with life, is self-abusive and reclusive, troubled and lacking confidence.

As Saroo continues to mature, he meets Lucy (Rooney Mara), a beautiful, supportive young woman who cares deeply about her newfound beau. Soon though, Saroo is having flashes from his early childhood, as little things in his life bring to mind memories seemingly long since lost. A suggestion to research his roots by way of a new website called Google Earth leads him to delve into the task, trying to discover his missing past.

Feeling guilty in many ways: first due to the lavish, easy life he is able to lead compared to his family; secondly, that his adoptive parents will feel saddened by the fact that he feels like he needs more – he struggles with the immense weight on his shoulders, becoming depressed by the daunting situation. He becomes self destructive, quitting his job and pulling himself away from his family, reclusive in his newfound guilt. Saroo even lashes out at his brother, disappointed at how his attitude and behaviour burdens their mother so very much. He then pushes Lucy away, giving the monumental task his full attention. Will he be able to find his way back home? If so, will he find what he so desires? Is there really any going back?

A touching, based-on-real-life story, Lion builds nicely to its powerful climax. Though there are a few moments that drag a tad, it is all done in a way that helps us associate with our protagonist, sympathizing with his complicated plight. The centre portion of the film is really a conduit that connects the intense beginning with the exceptional ending, channelling all of the loss and angst into pure, unbridled emotion.

It is perhaps expected then that this is the type of motion picture that has captioned text which follows the ending. It does; and it is a worthwhile addition, leaving us with a revelation that truly allows us to grasp the most human of stories, as well as the hidden meaning of the title. We are then provided with real life images and videos that put everything into context, reiterating once again just how real this tale is.

Majestic performances adorn this feature. Anchored around little and grown Saroo, both young Pawar and his adult counterpart, Patel, give the movie its near seamless flow. Pawar is infectious, fierce, beautiful and ultimately realistic in his portrayal. We believe that the two are one, with the twenty-something now feeling more than shameful for living his life of ease while his family likely still struggles (his mother’s job was to move rocks each and every day). He imbues his role with a wide array of emotions: angst, confusion and frustration, but also love and respect for the people that raised him to be the solid human being he now is. Likewise, Kidman is a complicated figure. Both stressed and depressed by the struggles of her children, a frank revelation is made when Saroo apologizes for putting the baggage that both he and his brother carry with them from their previous lives on her – capturing the touching bond that helps demonstrate that you don’t have to be related by blood to truly care for someone. Wenham, though less rounded, gives his fatherly figure a caring vibe. The look in his eye truly provides us with the sense of wonder and love he has for these new additions to their family. Finally, Patel’s love story with Mara is perhaps best encapsulated by a simple scene where the camera cuts back and forth between the two, as they spin, hide and flirt from opposite sides of a street they just happen to be walking down. An accurate portrayal of young love.

A worthwhile watch this Oscar season, Lion has been nominated for six Academy Awards. Featuring noteworthy performances, a poignant story, and nicely nuanced direction, which, when mixed with spot on cinematography, provides a powerful picture of a harrowing, real-life narrative. So, board this winding, dramatic train to discover whether Saroo ever finds the long way home.