I said I’d never see Lion because I couldn’t handle a lost child story. Then my son visited for a weekend and he also declined both Manchester and Lion, I think because he’s feeling a bit lost in Brooklyn right now and I assume because he was worried a downer or emotional movie might make him feel more ill at ease.
I have regrets about the planning of his time here, meaning I pulled a Prince (this is a reference of the time I had Prince concert tickets in Toronto (early 2000’s) and asked Liam if he wanted to go-this was when Liam was at an age when his music adoration hadn’t kicked in, so he said he didn’t really need to go, and to this day we both say how sorry we are that I didn’t just say-WE’RE GOING). So this past weekend, I did the same, just kept asking him if he wanted to do this or that (Like a movie) instead of cajoling him and using my motherly instinct to know what’s best for him. I’m the mom who used to say, ‘it’s recreation time’ and get us out on a local baseball diamond where I’d pitch balls or we’d play badminton for a short time. Sure, this past weekend we did in fact, walk the Ringling Bridge and our time wasn’t a negative, but a lot of it was eaten up by visiting well meaning, but stress inducing, folks.
Nothing to do now about the visit except beat myself up more and to better plan the next time, which may mean me going to Manhattan to preserve my sanity. We shall see.
At any rate, a friend in my new home town had sent me a short recording of his playing Fire and Rain on his acoustic guitar yesterday and so, feeling lonely and blue about my son’s going back to NYC and the aforementioned paragraph, ask if he’d be willing to see a movie tonight.
And thank God, we did. LION, directed by Garth Davis and written by Luke Davies was just what the doctor ordered. I already put my mothering instinct into a higher gear since the weekend; making my son a vision board, shipping him Brazil nuts (a good mood food) and calling him twice to see how he was since his return. I may be states away, but he’s going to know I’m here. And as I mentioned, I didn’t need Lion to tell me this, but the film certainly reinforced my maternal importance and power.
The film was gorgeously meditative. This was true visual storytelling. Dialogue isn’t needed to when great actoresses and actors display emotion, of being lost, of being found, being loved, being torn or being obsessed. Dev Patel is a real actor and should never ever go back and do one of those lame Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, or whatever the hell those films are titled. He is very deserving of award nominations and if Casey Affleck didn’t just own acting this year, Dev would be my runner up. And Nicole Kidman is a class act; she is right up there with Meryl Streep in my book. She evokes and makes you forget all of her plastic surgery and her enviously (I want one, too, can you tell?) ebullient relationship with Keith Urban.
So thank you to Trace and thank you to the film Lion, for not only do I now have my maternal roar back in place, but I have a clearer vision of how and who to spend my time and emotion on. As my favorite band in the world sings, “Just when your faith is gone, give it one more day.” https://www.bing.com/search?q=wood+brothers+give+it+one+more+day&form=PRASUS&pc=ASU2&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&refig=2bf12047dee94f8bb6cd6067589a78c1&sp=-1&pq=wood+brothers+give+it&sc=0-21&qs=n&sk=&cvid=2bf12047dee94f8bb6cd6067589a78c1
This holds true for the real life person on whom Lion was based and for this real life character calling herself a film blogger.
