Secondhand Lions

A classic. This is one of those male bonding movies one tends to cringe at nowadays, but there's no cringing here. Due to the wonderful script, direction and acting by all the principals, this one unfolds like a rose in bloom. Before you know it the movie has you in its grasp and the characters become 3-dimensional and their battles become yours as well. The plot is simple...a teenager is dumped on his great-uncles by his scheming mother who wants the kid to find where the uncles have hidden their fortune. The uncles, played by Michael Caine, sans British accent, and Robert Duvall, work well together as brothers slow to warm to the boy, played by Haley Joel Osment. Eventually the layers peel away and the boy learns about the earlier thrilling adventures of the uncles and begins to see them as role models. But then, are the stories true? Should the boy return to his mother? Should the uncles fight to keep him around? The ending had me in tears. Tears of happiness. A perfect film for the entire family.

I see just about every movie that comes out in the theatre and this was by far, one of the best films of the year. I really enjoyed the story and the interaction with Haley, Robert, and Michael. I'm no prude, but -- it is refreshing to see a movie that doesn't have to rely on language, nudity, violence and sex to be good. After seeing Robert Duval's standout performance in this film and OPEN RANGE (along with his various other films) I can say that he is fast becoming one of my favorite actors next to Robert De Niro. Go see this movie!!

I have been told by many people this was a great movie and one I needed to watch. Well finally I watched it today and it didn't disappoint me. It has so many great elements to it. I laughed in some parts and cried my eyes out in others. I loved the line "...died with his (or her) boots on." It's a great statement about living your life to the fullest and believing in the things that really matter like love and honor. The actors were fabulous. I think young Haley Joel Osment has a lot to offer films and I hope we see much more of him in the future. Michael Caine never disappoints me and I love his Texas accent in the film. Overall, this is truly one movie fit for all ages. A true heartwarming film with a great message for anyone who will hear it.

This is largely a kid's film, but in the best sense, in that it isn't full of juvenile humor about failing bodily functions, nor is it demeaning to the elderly, even though both its stars are well over sixty; it's a joyful, optimistic and largely predictable romp about the relationship that can develop between the old and the young.

When Haley Joel Osment's Mother drops him off to stay for a while with two old curmudgeons, a perceptive viewer can probably guess what happens next--but that knowledge doesn't detract from the fun-it's like a great fairy tale that you want to have told to you again, a sentimental rural fable rich with the kind of things kids (and many adults) like--lions that can be tamed, monoplanes that can be built, and worthwhile lessons that can be learned. Nobody farts, nobody says the "f" word, and nobody drops their pants--it's actually funny because its humor springs from the considerable well-honed talents of acting treasures Michael Caine and Robert Duvall and from a well-written kid's story--with adults welcome to come along for the ride.

I cannot see how anyone would dis this movie unless they especially disliked a particular actor. I thought the casting was great, right down to the secondhand lion and the pig. The flashbacks were hilarious because as we age, the things we did before become more dramatic and are further enhanced. No one thinks about their past in terms of mediocrity, and this was brought out in the flashback scenes. Osment was a superb cast in this movie because of his unchanging facial expression. He has been burnt out with lies and his mother's constant searching for a husband only to find another loser.His comment to his mother said it all. Here was a kid who had met a lot of "uncles", so here were two more uncles that he was being pawned off on.

Robert Duvall and Michael Caine are the only two actors that come to mind who could pull this off. I plan to add this to my collection and would highly recommend it to anyone who has a ever daydreamed about far off places or dares to dream about what might have been.

Hollywood has gone off the deep end in trying to project a certain political ideology and this has hurt the overall film industry. It is no wonder that when a good movie like this comes out, it is not given a second look and is soon forgotten. It's sad.