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Lions for Lambs is exactly the sort of film that isn't made any more. Although the sentiments contained within are wide-ranging, and the intensity of the dialogue at times echoes the sporadic machine-gun fire, by modern standards the scale of the storytelling is tiny. It is the definition of character-driven rather than plot-driven filmmaking, the latter being so dominant since roughly the dawn of the 1980s. The star names that the film has attracted make it seem anything but a minor outing, however; along with director Robert Redford taking the top-billed acting part, he's also enlisted the ever-dependable Meryl Streep and arguably the world's most famous A-lister for the last two decades, Tom Cruise. All the negative publicity surrounding his personal life finally seemed to impact box office gross when Mission: Impossible III disappointed commercially, and Paramount boss Sumner Redstone sensationally sent him packing. Lions for Lambs is the first film under the newly-reformed United Artists banner, and it will be interesting to see if it's an indication of things to come for the formerly prestigious studio.
The star's pervasive persona has somewhat masked the fact that he has turned in some exceptional performances in his time, from Rain Man (Dustin Hoffman distracted everybody) to Born on the Fourth of July to, more recently, 1999's Magnolia. In Lions for Lambs it's good to see him return to more challenging material as he is clearly up to the task. His section of the three-pronged narrative that comprises the film is entirely opposite Streep's distinguished journalist, and he very much holds his own; his toothy grin and his perceived untrustworthiness prove to be perfect for the smarmy senator he plays. Oscar suggestions have already been murmured and such recognition would not be unjustified. Meanwhile, Streep is once again excellent, and while it seems she only has to have a camera pointed at her to receive a nomination from the Academy, here she also gives a performance worthy of the acclaim.
Cruise's Senator Irving opens his interview by announcing that a new strategy is being implemented to fight the Taliban in Afghanistan. This introduces us to the second strand, in which we follow a squad of soldiers carrying out the orders, and whose mission results in two soldiers falling from a helicopter and getting stranded on a snowy mountainside. This piece of the jigsaw provides necessary and beneficial suspense, increasing the sense of urgency across the whole film and preventing boredom from even threatening to set in. The third strand, featuring Redford as a university professor having a lengthy conversation with a student, is the least compelling, giving the impression of a sermon rather than a realistic discussion. All of the film occurs in approximately real time, making it feel like an extended (though far less intricate than usual) episode of 24, aside from the flashbacks that occur roughly around the halfway point. These show the soldiers now involved in the Afghanistan mission back when they were attending university and were being taught by Redford, and are the only reason that this whole strand avoids becoming superfluous.
Most of those attending the film, unless they've been misled by Cruise's presence, will probably hope for an acting showcase, and that's precisely what the film provides. Matthew Michael Carnahan's script - despite the shared 'War on Terror' theme, a complete contrast to The Kingdom, his only other writing effort thus far - gives the actors plenty to chew on and they make great use of it. Ultimately, despite the big subject matter, Lions for Lambs comes off feeling rather slight, but it succeeds on two main objectives: to engross, and to provoke discussion.
The summary
A rare big-name, small-scale picture, Lions for Lambs scores points for its refusal to adhere to convention. Adrenaline junkies need not apply, but those looking for something more contemplative should get their money's worth.
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