Lions for Lambs poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Michael Peņa, Andrew Garfield ... see more see more... , Peter Berg , Kevin Dunn , Derek Luke , Christopher Carley

Robert Redford directs this dramatic tale of intersecting lives that weaves together the stories of an idealistic professor's attempts to inspire a privileged student, a former student of the teacher ... read more read more...who is wounded behind enemy lines in Afghanistan, and a congressman whose interactions with a seasoned journalist reveal much about the man behind the public persona. Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, and Robert Redford star in a film scripted by Matthew Michael Carnahan. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

48% liked it

208,685 ratings

Critics

26% liked it

179 critics

R, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Robert Redford

Release Date: November 9, 2007

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 8, 2008

Get It:

Stats: 10,445 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere Lions for Lambs lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere lions and lambs movie premiere Lions for Lambs Lions for Lambs Lions for Lambs
Upload a Photo | View All Lions for Lambs Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (10,445)

  • ironclad1609
    December 26, 2011
    ironclad1609
    The premise of the film is actually very interesting. It views the US war on terror from different parallel angles: a liberal reporter interviewing a republican senator (Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise), a university professor trying to get his student to become political again (Rob... read moreert Redford and Andrew Spiderman Garfield) while two US soldiers, his former students, are under attack in the Afghan mountains. With names like this, you expect the acting to be top notch and the dialogs to be smart and to the point and all that's the case, especially in the excellent Washington part. The film has a lot of smart things to say about the state of America in its war on terror and demands to open up the discussion again. That's a noble thought. Sadly, the Uni office section doesn't always get to the point as sharply and the Afghan story line ends in the expected preachy way. In the end you're wondering what was actually accomplished in those 90 minutes. A lot is hinted at, nothing's resolved. But then again, at least it made you think about it all, that's gotta count for something.
  • Tomassgringo
    February 7, 2011
    Tomassgringo
    I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Separate stories connected by a common theme telling a story from different perspectives made the movie relevant to political discussions about American policies and ideas of war. The movie also does the best job showing the price of war with t... read morehe great lives sacrificed often for unjust reasons.
  • emilebond007
    July 1, 2010
    emilebond007
    It's frustrating me to see the critics rating this movie as if it was the worst of the year !

    When I saw the theatrical trailer, I was totally waiting for the movie it actually shows: a movie where people talk... Talk about one of the most important subject of our time. I... read more was not waiting for a thriller with conspiracies in every corner like the critics seemed to !

    Okay, maybe the story was a little slow (but don't get me wrong, every lines were astonishing and the movie contains some breathtaking war scenes), but I thought each word was chosen perfectly and said by actors at their best. Ahh the actors ! Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise were completely admirable ! And well Robert Redford, without compting in his excellent direction job, acted greatly.

    By forgetting what the critics said negatively about the abrupt ending, on my side, I thought it was very clever.



    Finally, like it or not, it's still a movie every one should see.
  • ythelastman89
    January 27, 2010
    ythelastman89
    I really didn't care all that much for the story, but it did have some great acting performances. Tom Cruise obviously stole the show with his corrupt politician character, but it's also some of the best acting i've seen from Robert Redford in a while. I think it mainly failed du... read moree to the fact that everyone already figures that there was/is corruption in the Iraq War so there weren't any real surprises.
  • paulsandberg
    October 29, 2009
    paulsandberg
    The interwoven stories effect has been used many a time before, but here I felt it a cohesive commentary, each segment casting a significant light on the thoughts and actions of the other segments.

    While the core arguements may seem pat, the telling in real life terms of cause... read more and effect keep the film fresh and relevent.

    Crisp dialog delivered by three very accomplished actors, who feel natural and immersed in their roles, truly make this film shine. A perfect casting for Tom Cruise, who uses his disarming smile and lets you see the hint of gamemanship behind it, as the young Republican Senator and West Point grad who is playing politics, but at the same time, truly believes in our role in Afghanistan.

    Streep, as a battle weary and wary journalist plays off Cruise like a paso doble, bantering and challenging, and yet never letting Cruise see the dislike for what he has to say.

    Redford is simply at ease and charming as the poli-sci professor who tries to motivate a gifted student into doing "something".

    All this against the backdrop of a botched marine landing that dooms two friends and former Redford students - both who had so much more to offer mankind - and yet, the film manages to not convey an anti-war sentiment; it's far to complex, as are the issues themselves. The message here is to see and learn, and then make your own choices, remembering that by doing nothing at all you give tacit agreement to the status quo.
  • fb619846742
    May 4, 2009
    fb619846742
    A well-acted, but ultimately flawed and one sided liberal approach towards the War in Iraq. Robert Redford's story concerning him and his student is not entirely riveting, and the movie pitches so many political cliches and generalizations that it's hard to keep up with what its ... read moretrying to say other than that this war is a bad one. Tom Cruise is a perfect selection to play the John Edwards look-a-like who explains to the pessimistic Meryl Streep why they're in this war. The ending is pretty bad as well, not only does it end abruptly, but what happens to the two soldiers it follows (Michael Pena and Derek Luke) is massively disappointing. A rare misfire from Robert Redford.
  • SarahG1988
    March 27, 2009
    SarahG1988
    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

    Lions for Lambs was released in a year full of Iraq or war-related films and isn't one of the best of that year. I ... read morehave to admit that I wonder just exactly what Redford is trying to say in this film and this is wil try to focus on, as well as the film's flaws and good parts.

    Prior to watching this film, I had no idea as to how I would feel about this film-so I went into it with a relativly open mind. What's interesting though, is that the film starts off resonably well and gets progressivly worse as the film goes on. The main flaw, and a big one at that, is the content within the film. As mentioned by many reviews by my friends on this site; this film is incredibly prechy. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I wonder just exactly what Redford is really trying to tell us. Is it just full of his political ideas? Argbably that could be the case. However I think it's not only a fault of his but the script is a major problem and perhaps research that was carried out.

    I wonder exactly why Redford thought this film was the right way to go. The problem with it is that it tells us nothing new about events up to and surrounding the Iraq war. Like I said before, it preches to us things we've heard time and time again about the war, by news stations and newspapers. I started to feel very irritated and insulted towards the middle of the film. This is because you feel as though Redford feels that the audience watching this have no concept of what this war is about. Thus, by the end of the film you feel as though you've been lectured to by one of your parents or teacher.

    One review that I read said this film was "politics for dummies" and I think he's probably right. Much of the dialogue in this film is very obvious and uncessary. Yes, we know that the war in Iraq shouldn't have happened and Yes we know the consequences of war. I struggle to understand some of the sub-plots in this film. What was the purpse of the professor and the student and why exactly does Meryal Streep's character need to be there. Some of those unanswered questions means the films loses "the flow" that every film needs. By that I mean that a perfect film needs to be consistently great through every scene and every scene needs purpse. Lions for Lambs does not have that.

    I really feel for Meryl Streep in this film as she is the only good part of it. Her character is very likeable and represents the masses in some respects. However the material given to her means we don't see the full extent of her capabilities in this role. Tom Cruise, I found very very irritating and found his character to be way to patrirchal for my liking.

    Overall, Lions for Lambs fails to impress on all levels and I don't recomend it.

    Watch Taxi to The Dark Side...to see a true portrayal of the Iraq War
  • imrealgod
    March 17, 2009
    imrealgod
    While the theme was good, the execution of the movie was too poor to impress me.
  • cosmo313
    December 31, 2008
    cosmo313
    It's extremely well-made, and has a good cast who all (yes, even Tom Cruise) give really good performances, and, while I liked the fact that multiple views were represented, as well as the open-ended nature of the film, it didn't really go anywhere, and just lost steam and ran in... read more circles towards the end.
  • DerekA101
    July 16, 2008
    DerekA101
    Lions for Lambs, as it's title suggests, is a provocative film based on the harsh reality of the Iraq War. The film follows three incredibly moving story lines. This movie aims to impress with its very sharp and witty dialogue. This is not a movie for teenagers or action junki... read morees. It is a political thriller, so some interest in politics and current events is needed to fully understand and associate with this film.

    However, I still can't help but to think this movie falls flat. I enjoyed the questions this movie tackles and I love how it makes you think on your own. But I left this movie feeling empty. This film lacks a lot of substance. The heart-breaking climax was off target in my opinion, I found it to be more unfortunate than "sad."

    So much more could've been done with this film. However, it does have a good message and is a must for those of us who have been captivated by the War on Terrorism since 2001. But, at the end of the day, this movie is completely forgettable.

View All Lions for Lambs Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan F. Richards
November 19, 2007
Jonathan F. Richards, Film.com

It means to use the Cruise-Redford-Streep star power to get us talking about things we ought to be talking about. Full Review

James Berardinelli
November 17, 2007
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

The film is built not upon characters and plot but upon ideas. That would be fine if the ideas were revolutionary or interesting, but they're fairly commonplace. Full Review

Richard Roeper
November 12, 2007
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

It's definitely flawed but I am recommending it.

Geoff Pevere
November 9, 2007
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

There is much talk of paralysis in Robert Redford's what's-wrong-with-America movie Lions for Lambs, and there is a whole lot of the same in the movie itself. Full Review

Claudia Puig
November 9, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Though these dialogues are worthy, the medium doesn't seem right for the message. Full Review

Dana Stevens
November 9, 2007
Dana Stevens, Slate

Lions for Lambs appears to have been created by someone who's never seen one of these newfangled contraptions called 'movies,' or for that matter, witnessed that phenomenon known as 'speech.' Full Review

Mick LaSalle
November 9, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It's a fictional tale that has the immediacy of something hot off the presses -- something raw and clunky, but plugged into the moment - with characters talking about the same things people are talkin... Full Review

Roger Moore
November 9, 2007
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

This sometimes heavy-handed sermon about political apathy among the young, the stakes of media collusion with government, and the fog of war is almost certain to scare off the people it is intended to... Full Review

Christy Lemire
November 9, 2007
Christy Lemire, Newsweek

Carnahan's script is thoughtful, but its ideal venue may be a college debate class, not your local multiplex. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
November 9, 2007
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

Lions for Lambs is Redford's latest film as a director. It's also, sadly, one of his weakest. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Conspirator
    The Conspirator (100%)
  • Stop Loss
    Stop Loss (100%)
  • Courage Under Fire
    Courage Under Fire (89%)
  • State of Play
    State of Play (100%)

More Movies like Lions for Lambs

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Lions for Lambs : Watch Free on TV

Lions for Lambs Trivia

  • name the film starring Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise. Directed by Robert Redford.  Answer »
  • Who is the director of the film "Lions for Lambs" with Robert Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep?  Answer »
  • what movie did Goerge Clooney not star in?  Answer »
  • In which 2007 movie did Meryl Streep co-star with Tom Cruise?  Answer »
More Lions for Lambs Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Lions for Lambs Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Lions for Lambs to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Lions for Lambs News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

Jules1st Skin by Jules1st
27 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins