Observer by Rex Reed

Once in awhile, a movie comes along that is so touching and sincere, without a moment of false emotion or manipulative self-indulgence, that it establishes squatters’ rights and moves into your heart to stay.

The Hollywood Reporter by David Rooney

A sober and yet profoundly stirring contemplation of family, roots, identity and home, which engrosses throughout the course of its two-hour running time.

New York Daily News by Jordon Hoffman

This amazing true story with remarkable performances by Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, Nicole Kidman and newcomer Sunny Pawar has, like the title would suggest, a blend of brute force and elegance.

RogerEbert.com by Susan Wloszczyna

Let’s just say if you are human, there is no way that Lion won’t move you.

USA Today by Brian Truitt

Unsurprisingly, the finale is manipulative in every way, squeezing out the emotions of the audience. But Lion’s well-plotted narrative and thoughtful characters suck you in so much that the journey there is totally worth it.

Movie Nation by Roger Moore

Lion is moving and inspiring.

Chicago Tribune by Katie Walsh

The beauty of Lion is that it explores and allows for the unique possibilities and power of multiple homes, multiple families and multiple selves.

The Seattle Times by Moira Macdonald

It’s a mesmerizing story, particularly that vivid first half, told with great economy and few words.

Chicago Sun-Times by Richard Roeper

Lion is a beautifully told, uplifting story of courage and determination.

Screen Daily by Fionnuala Halligan

If Saroo’s story seems out-of-this world, the team behind this film have risen to meet the challenge it sets. There may be a sense of inevitability about Saroo’s ultimate destination, but what counts here is the journey.

The Telegraph by Tim Robey

The script never lunges for cheap drama by forcing Saroo into a binary choice between mothers, and the most complex beats are about tip-toeing around, often counter-productively, to avoid hurt or betrayal.

Screen International by Fionnuala Halligan

If Saroo’s story seems out-of-this world, the team behind this film have risen to meet the challenge it sets. There may be a sense of inevitability about Saroo’s ultimate destination, but what counts here is the journey.

Entertainment Weekly by Darren Franich

Where Saroo goes and what he finds there left me in tears, but you feel that a complicated true story has been airbrushed into a postmodern legend.

IndieWire by Eric Kohn

Lion, the first feature directed by Garth Davis, sufficiently realizes the emotional arc built into Brieley’s experience.

Time Out London by Dave Calhoun

There’s plenty of warmth and compassion here, and the true story is a belter, but this ‘Lion’ doesn’t quite roar.

The Guardian by Benjamin Lee

Thanks largely to an affecting performance from newcomer Sunny Pawar, the first act is horribly effective.

The Film Stage by Jordan Ruimy

If the first half is an indelible treat and gives one high hopes that a film delicately placed in the awards season will in fact meet its steep expectations, the second half is troublesome and falls flat.

Variety by Peter Debruge

Fortunately for Davis, he’s got a terrific cast, chief among them the pair of charismatic actors who split the lead role.

The Playlist by Kevin Jagernauth

While Lion isn’t the kind of drama that demands risky storytelling, it is one that has within it a whole world of emotional topography that is disappointingly scrolled over instead of mapped out.