23 Jan The Good Lie Review
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Featured this week on the blog is one of our latest and greatest Warner Bros. titles, The Good Lie. Starring Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon and featuring standout performances from real Sudanese refugees, The Good Lie recounts the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan, a group of young refugees who fled their home country during a period of catastrophic unrest and civil war. After living most of their young adult lives in a Kenyan refugee camp, the film’s three leading men are finally given the opportunity by a Christian charity group to relocate to the United States and start anew. Upon their arrival in St. Louis, Missouri, Mamere, Jeremiah, and Paul are greeted by Carrie, the feisty job counselor assigned to their case. As the three men slowly assimilate to their new surroundings, they learn the importance of leaning on one another for support and manage to teach their new American friends a few things about life.
Based the harrowing true events similarly documented in Christopher Dillon Quinn’s 2006 film God Grew Tired of Us, The Good Lie tells a story not often acknowledged by the Hollywood set. The unimaginable struggle faced by these young boys and girls proves not only to be compelling movie material, but also oddly relatable as it draws on universal themes of reinvention and perseverance. As Carrie, Witherspoon is affable and appropriate, taking on a sort of Erin Brockovich-esque demeanor. Her story aptly takes a backseat for most of the film, allowing the journey of its three stars to take center stage. Carrie acts as more of a guidepost than a savior to the young men, and it’s important to make this distinction. The Good Lie is not intended to glamorize the “other worldliness” of poverty, but rather highlight the strength of the human spirit. The film’s down-to-earth tone makes it enjoyable for a wide range of audiences.
Watch The Good Lie on FlixFling now.
This guest blog was written by Colleen Shields.