Lions for Lambs (2007)

Injuries sustained by two Army rangers behind enemy lines in Afghanistan set off a sequence of events involving a congressman, a journalist and a professor.

Director:

Robert Redford

Writer:

Matthew Michael Carnahan

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Redford	...	Professor Stephen Malley
Meryl Streep	...	Janine Roth
Tom Cruise	...	Senator Jasper Irving
Michael Peña	...	Ernest Rodriguez
Andrew Garfield	...	Todd Hayes
Peter Berg	...	Lt. Col. Falco
Kevin Dunn	...	ANX Editor
Derek Luke	...	Arian Finch
Larry Bates	...	Soldier
Christopher May	...	Soldier
David Pease	...	Soldier
Heidi Janson	...	Soldier
Christopher Carley	...	Sniper
George Back	...	Student
Kristy Wu	...	Student

Storyline

Three stories told simultaneous in ninety minutes of real time: a Republican Senator who's a presidential hopeful gives an hour-long interview to a skeptical television reporter, detailing a strategy for victory in Afghanistan; two special forces ambushed on an Afghani ridge await rescue as Taliban forces close in; a poli-sci professor at a California college invites a promising student to re-engage. Decisions press upon the reporter, the student, and the soldiers.

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Plot Keywords:

infrared | the white house | woman wears eyeglasses | mgm | student | 

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Taglines:

What do you: live...die...fight...stand for?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some war violence and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The combat patch worn by many of the special forces soldiers (including Lieutenant Colonel Falco) is from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is garrisoned at Fort Irwin, California.

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Goofs

Janine writes "Whatever it takes" in her notebook, when she is at the Senator's office, at a different point of the page (higher) than later shown, when she revises her writings.

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Quotes

Lt. Col. Falco: You will set up camp, you will set up comms, you will set up sat links. You will patiently wait, and if fortunate enough to engage the enemy, you will introduce them to the full measure of American mean. Are we clear?
Briefing Group: [in unison] Hoorah!

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Connections

Featured in The Factor: Episode dated 4 April 2008 (2008)

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Soundtracks

Yankee Doodle Dandy
Traditional

User Reviews

An Actor's Film Of Reflection

Not true! Robert Redford didn't take to the pulpit to give us a pet talk. He's far too subtle, honest and compassionate to pull a stunt like that. The film is about questions not about answers and we're all grateful for that. I left the theater with a weight on my chest because I believe in the validity of the questions and the individual responsibility of finding the fair way to the answers. Important to remember, at least it was for me, that this is a film delivered to us by three icons. Robert Redford, a symbol of consistency and independence, Meryl Streep, an actress who defined the last two decades of film acting with characters that went straight to the center of something and Tom Cruise, the box office champion who's become a controversial figure despite of his undeniable humanity. I will take a stand here and advise you to go and see this film. You will come up with new questions and a potential road map for the answers.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 November 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lions for Lambs

Filming Locations:

White House - 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,702,434, 11 November 2007

Gross USA:

$15,002,854

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$64,811,540

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), United Artists, Wildwood Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1