A young refugee of the Sudanese Civil War who wins a lottery for relocation to the United States with three other lost boys. Encountering the modern world for the first time, they develop an unlikely friendship with a brash American woman assigned to help them, but the young man struggles to adjust to this new life and his feelings of guilt about the brother he left behind.
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Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Carrie Davis: Reese Witherspoon
- Jack: Corey Stoll
- Matt: Thad Luckinbill
- Pamela Lowi: Sarah Baker
- INS Agent: Maria Howell
- Dave: Joshua Mikel
- Nick Costas: Mike Pniewski
- Mamere: Arnold Oceng
- Jeremiah: Ger Duany
- Paul: Emmanuel Jal
- Abital: Kuoth Wiel
- Theo: Femi Oguns
- Jenny: Lindsey Garrett
- Young Mamere: Peterdeng Mongok
- Young Theo: Okwar Jale
- Young Jeremiah: Thon Kueth
- Young Paul: Deng Ajuet
- Young Abital: Keji Jale
- Young Gabriel: David Madingi
- Young Daniel: Kon Akoue Auok
- Young Simon: Sibusisu Moyo
- Boy (River of Children): Antoine Wonder Kalambay
- James: Elikana Jale
- Dr. Monyang: Afemo Omilami
- Reverend Trutner: Michael H. Cole
- Frank: Brian Kurlander
- Karl: Jimi Kocina
- INS Boston: Vince Pisani
- INS Kansas City: Kimberly Banta
- Roger: Travis Smith
- Erin Sullivan: Sharon Conley
- Man in English Class: Raj Kala
- Sari Woman in English Class: Parisa Johnston
- Homeless Woman: Heather Lyda
- INS Clerk: Clifton Guterman
- Police Officer: Kenny Alfonso
- Reed: Victor McCay
- Fargo Boy: Jacob Kuol Alier
- Swedish Official: Berglind Jonsdottir
- Majok: Dhan Kueth
- Bracelet Soldier: Israel Makoe
- Soldier: Keith Woulard
- Toby: John Prendergast
- Refugee Worker: Tiffany Jones
- U.N. Worker: Nathaniel Ramabulana
- Guinea Worm Girl: Lavine Dimo
- Village Mother: Julia Ayiol
- Processing Office Woman: Sope Aluko
- Immigration Official: Suehyla El-Attar
- Immigration Official #2: Abena Ayivor
- INS Official: Levi Burdick
- Food Worker: Lele Ledwaba
- Party Guest: Mari Malek
- Abital’s Mother: Flora Peter Deng
- Becky: Cara Mantella
Film Crew:
- Producer: Brian Grazer
- Stunt Double: Eugene Collier
- Executive Producer: Deepak Nayar
- Editor: Richard Comeau
- Producer: Karen Kehela Sherwood
- Executive Producer: Kim Roth
- Casting: Mindy Marin
- Producer: Ron Howard
- Set Decoration: Melinda Launspach
- Co-Producer: Jeffrey Silver
- Executive Producer: Robert F. Newmyer
- Executive Producer: Ellen H. Schwartz
- Production Design: Aaron Osborne
- Art Direction: Erin Cochran
- Executive Producer: Broderick Johnson
- Executive Producer: Andrew A. Kosove
- Producer: Molly Smith
- Producer: Thad Luckinbill
- Executive Producer: Deborah Jelin Newmyer
- Stunt Coordinator: Keith Woulard
- Producer: Genevieve Hofmeyr
- Director: Philippe Falardeau
- Screenplay: Margaret Nagle
- Costume Design: Suttirat Anne Larlarb
- Cinematography: Ronald Plante
- Set Decoration: Melinda Sanders
- Line Producer: Jim Shamoon
- Executive Producer: Mario Zvan
- Producer: Trent Luckinbill
- Associate Producer: Emma McGill
- Music: Martin Léon
- Stunt Double: Jay Pearson
- Stunts: Aby Martin
- Line Producer: Lynne-Anne Vosloo
Movie Reviews:
- Reno: Migration is the part of life for birds and animals for millions of years. For the different season, to be in the different places, away from harsh nature is to comforts from any severeness. Still happening in greater number everywhere except humans who thought enough is enough, let’s stay and face the challenges. Wow, that’s awesome, the civilization was born. So those who stayed in the different places, formed different race, different culture and language with borders around. All kinds of people (religious) have to live together, if something goes wrong between them, the weaker must retreat, but to where?
I have to mention all these, because to remind ourselves how far we’d come. Today to travel to another continent you’ve to pass so many formalities like visa, passport, security check, background check, check-up for latest fast spreading disease, body scans for smuggling, purpose of visit etc. It is better to turn into a bird and fly away than going through all this. That’s why I am not a nationalist and call myself the citizen of planet Earth, which put me on debate with guys around on the several occasions.
Okay. The movie was inspired by ‘Lost Boys of Sudan’. The true story of four young Sudanese, after their elders were killed in the attack of their village they team up to escape. Henceforth living in the refugee camp in Kenya, looking for an opportunity for a better life. It lands, but struggle continues as to adapt the new place and finding the right employment. The journey from nowhere to the land of dream, but they had no dream at all, all they wanted was a normal life anywhere peacefully. On the other end, the rules and regulations begin to haunt them, which they were not used to it.
> ‘‘We found strength in sticking together
> But our hope of ever leaving was fading.’’Definitely an inspiring story. For the meaning of the title, you have to wait until the last minute. Because all the great stories told in the history began or ends with the great sacrifice. That was a touching scene, I just imagined, in reality, how tough it would have been. You probably don’t understand what I’m saying, but I’m trying to keep spoiler away. We had seen the similar theme from another angle in Gerard Butler starer ‘Machine Gun Preacher’. Yep, about the same war, but set in a different place. The main difference is this movie is not a heroic tale like that where a white man fights for the innocent Africans. You know there are about 20.000 boys and girls orphaned and displaced during the civil war that lasted for nearly 25 years. The writer had to pick just one from the thousands of stories. So that’s how ‘The Good Lie’ came, a story of complete integrity.
From the filmmaker of Oscar nominated foreign movie ‘Monsieur Lazhar’. One of my favourites from Canada. I loved all his previous films, so the expectation for this was same as always. It partially feels like a docudrama, but it was not. Leaping into Hollywood did not change his style of film making. He turned into an American movie in which something lacks today, reality and honesty with dynamic story than its characters. Reese Witherspoon’s presence did not affect either, the narration was neutral from the perspective of character preference. In fact, Reese Witherspoon’s existence helped to put some familiar face on the posters. Especially for the marketing purpose for the wide release, other than the film festivals. So this movie definitely is to go for it, only if you’re not seeking entertainment.
8.5/10