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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!!

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.

Cartoonist Josh Lucas (of "A Beautiful Mind") gets a phone call telling that his two great-uncles have been in an accident. Immediately we see the Lucas character in the form of young Haley Joel Osment as he is literally dropped off with great-uncles Michael Caine and Robert Duvall by lousy mother Kyra Sedgwick in the 1960s. It seems that the two supposedly have a huge fortune somewhere on their property in Texas and Sedgwick, along with several others, have been trying to find the treasures for themselves. Osment seems out-of-place completely at first and his two uncles appear to be cold and unfeeling, but soon Duvall is seen sleep-walking and acts like he is sword-fighting while he does. Osment has never seen anyone act this way before and he becomes curious. He finds a photo of the beautiful and exotic Emmanuelle Vaugier in the house's tower and his want to know the pasts of his uncles' builds. Caine tells Osment of a time at the start of World War I when the duo unwittingly became a part of the French Legion, fighting with the Allies during the war. The war comes and goes and Caine starts to tell of Duvall's love for Vaugier when he was a young man. Naturally she was also wanted by an evil sheik (Adam Ozturk) and thus he had to protect she and himself at all times. Eventually the stories conclude and Osment finds out how the two got their money. But could it be possible that what Caine has been conveying are just stories and not the true reality? "Secondhand Lions" (the title refers to an old lion that Duvall and Caine buy during the course of the picture) is one of those movies that makes you feel that there are still good people in Hollywood who really want to develop nice family-oriented films that cater to all age groups. Writer/director Tim McCanlies shows real potential here and Osment continues to amaze. He holds his own with legends Caine and Duvall from the word go. Osment, who is the most atypical youngster in Hollywood these days (never selling out to be in junk like "Freddy vs. Jason" or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake), just keeps on growing and maturing as a performer. His range was amazing in "The Sixth Sense" and he has not lost his gift, instead he has cultivated it further. Definitely not a perfect film, but still a very enjoyable trip to the movies that stands tall during a year of sub-par movies. With all the shortcomings from Hollywood in 2003, the family films have been surprisingly the best productions by far. 4 stars out of 5.

Plot

A coming-of-age story about a shy young boy sent by his irresponsible mother to spend the summer with his wealthy, eccentric uncles in Texas.

Cast

Haley Joel Osment, Michael Caine, Robert Duvall with support from Christian Kane, Emmanuelle Vaugier and brief appearance by Eric Balfour.

Verdict

When it comes to entertainment my dad is a hard man to please, he doesn't really like music (No really), and when it comes to movies and television he's so picky it's intolerable. Secondhand Lions is one of the few films he's enjoyed and perhaps the only thing he's ever recommended me. I didn't rush to watch it, based on what I'd seen and read it didn't appeal but I'm a man of my word and eventually got round to it.

To my surprise, it was not what I expected at all. And to be clear what I mean by that is that it's a remarkably good film, endearing, heartfelt, well constructed and had me unable to look away.

It's not exactly a new tale, we've seen it before and is ultimately a coming of age story but I'm not sure I've ever seen it done quite this well.

Serious when it needs to be serious, funny when it needs to be funny and positively whimsical when it needs to be whimsical.

Rants

A lot of people moan that there simply aren't enough "Innocent" films out there. No sex, little to no violence, just focusing on character development and a wholesome story. I'd agree that there aren't enough but disagree that's the only thing we need. Secondhand Lions is an "Innocent" film but it does have violence yet I'm not corrupted nor more violent as a result from watching it. Each to his/her own.

Breakdown

Great performances (Even Caine is passable) Fantastic story Constructed perfectly A film that sticks with you Sad moment that I didn't appreciate.

Who would have ever thought that Michael Caine and Robert Duvall would ever be in a movie together? These two actors have played such opposite characters in their acting careers that putting them together in a movie would be a major task...however, this movie not only succeeds in the pairing but also excels in it. The two actors support each other magnificently, making the movie such a treat to watch. The movie is uplifting and such a blast, masterfully combining comic relief with more serious themes. (I nearly died laughing when Michael Caine said the word "ain't," never dreaming in a thousand I would hear the British actor go country.) The movie is a perfect "coming of age" story, with good morals and lessons. I don't want to go into too much detail with the movie, less I ruin some truly amazing scenes, but I recommend it for any family movie night.