Oscar-nominated movies are usually expected to be entertaining, well thought-out films. “Lion,” though not as well known as “La La Land,” is everything audiences hoped it would be. From the detailed sets to the tear-jerking storyline, “Lion” earns its four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, fair and square.

The story takes place, for the most part, in India. The characters mostly speak Hindi with English subtitles for the majority of the film, which adds an effect of realism. As the movie goes on, the audience gets to view what life in 1980s India was like. Children hop onto moving trains to steal coal to sell. The people carry rocks for a living and live in small clay houses. Dark, warm colors creates a desert feel, and the characters clothes are dirty and dusty. These scenes contrasted with the later sets used to show a rich Australian home.

Saroo (Sunny Pawar) is a 5-year-old who gets separated from his older brother. It’s heart-wrenching to see the little boy call out for his brother as he’s stuck on the train taking him across India. Throughout the film people try to help Saroo get home, but since he is so young he can’t give them much information. Eventually Saroo gets adopted by a rich Australian couple and lives a comfortable life. Twenty-five years later, a now-adult Saroo (Dev Patel) searches for his birth mother.

“Lion” is a dramatic film, with lots of slow dialogue and plenty of emotion. Heart-to-heart scenes were abundant in the last part of the movie when Saroo is trying to find home. Many quiet scenes feature characters talking slowly, and there’s crying. Lots of crying. It’s the part of the movie where everyone in the theater is painfully aware of the kid in front shoving his fist into his bag of Skittles.

Of course, no movie can be perfect, and “Lion” is no exception. At the end when Saroo is searching for his parents the movie starts to drag, and some audience members started to get antsy. It was longer than it needed to be, with an arguably unnecessary love interest with a girl Saroo meets as an adult. They could have cut those parts out to add better character development.

“Lion” is an eye-opening, gut-wrenching story that deserves its nominations Best Picture, Best Original Music Score, Best Writing Adapted Screenplay, and Nicole Kidman, in the role of the adoptive mother, for Best Supporting Actress. The Oscars are coming up very soon, and while it might not win every category, it has the potential to win a few.
Rating- A–