Lions for Lambs

If you’ve been trying to convert a conservative friend to the antiwar cause, for God’s sake keep them away from this nightmare of condescension and self-righteousness. It will only serve to cement certain stereotypes about out-of-touch liberal media types, all of which happen to apply to the creative personnel involved. The non-stop gabfest features Robert Redford delivering platitudes to an apathetic student about to drop his poly-sci class, Meryl Streep as a journo being strong-armed by Washington propagandist Tom Cruise and a bunch of hapless soldiers in Afghanistan who wished they had only listened to their liberal professor — one Robert Redford, of course. Do people not, like, care about stuff? Many impassioned statements are given but their political nuances would embarrass a grade 9 history course. Given the opportunity to smack down the lies and disinformation of the last six years, the filmmakers do nothing more than congratulate their own shaky commitment and insult the intelligence of the audience. Any random moment contains some banal idea blown up well past its breaking point, rendered with dialogue so laughably phoney as to deconstruct itself. That Redford could have thought this contributed to the American conversation suggests that instead of keeping abreast of the issues, he’s disappeared into a bunker somewhere beneath Park City to fantasise and write speeches. Fiddling while Rome burns no matter its posturing to the contrary, Lions for Lambs is a disgrace and can only damage the left-wing cause with people who against all odds might still be on the fence. Extras include a deluded commentary by Redford and a handful of glad-handing featurettes on the production.