The Good Lie (2014)

A group of Sudanese refugees, given the chance to resettle in the U.S., arrive in Kansas City, Missouri, where their encounter with an employment agency counselor forever changes all of their lives.

Director:

Philippe Falardeau

Writer:

Margaret Nagle

Stars:

Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Reese Witherspoon	...	Carrie
Arnold Oceng	...	Mamere
Ger Duany	...	Jeremiah
Emmanuel Jal	...	Paul
Corey Stoll	...	Jack
Kuoth Wiel	...	Abital
Femi Oguns	...	Theo
Sarah Baker	...	Pamela
Lindsey Garrett	...	Jenny
Peterdeng Mongok	...	Young Mamere
Okwar Jale	...	Young Theo
Thon Kueth	...	Young Jeremiah
Deng Ajuet	...	Young Paul
Keji Jale	...	Young Abital
David Madingi	...	Young Gabriel

Storyline

Four Sudanese children are orphaned after their village is massacred in the Second Sudanese Civil War. Consequently, they make an arduous and dangerous trek through the plains, enduring hardship, death and sacrifice all the way until they reach safety in a refugee camp in Kenya. Years later, these youths are among 3600 selected for resettlement in America, only to have the one girl among them sent to Boston, while the three boys must to make a new life in Kansas City. Together, these young men must adjust to an alien culture even as the emotional baggage of their past haunts them. However, these newcomers, and their new friends like employment counselor Carrie Davis, strive to understand each other in this new home, as they make peace with their histories in a challenge that will change all their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

kansas city missouri | refugee | refugee camp | kenya | resettlement | 

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Taglines:

Miracles are made by people who refuse to stop believing.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some violence, brief strong language and drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Kenya India USA Canada South Africa

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 2014 (South Africa)

Also Known As:

A Boa Mentira

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$841,422, 5 October 2014

Gross USA:

$2,722,209

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,396,345

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media, Blue Sky Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

"The Lost Boys of Sudan", the name given to the groups of over twenty thousand boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced and/or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War, served as inspiration for the movie.

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Goofs

After Jeremiah quits his grocery job and goes back to the employment agency, the phone number in the window is a St Louis area code, not Kansas City.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: In 1983, a brutal civil war broke out in Sudan between the North and the South over religion and resources, leaving villages destroyed by northern government armies and militia.
Title Card: By 1987, thousands of orphaned children began to flee on foot across sub-Saharan Africa, walking as many as thousands of miles to Ethiopia and then Kenya. Thirteen years later, 3600 refugees would be relocated to the U.S.A. They were known simply as "The Lost Boys of Sudan."
Title Card: This film is inspired by their ...

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Connections

Featured in MsMojo: Top 10 Reese Witherspoon Performances (2017)

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Soundtracks

We Fall
Feat. McKenzie Eddy
Written by Emmanuel Jal, McKenzie Eddy & Davidson Lynch Shyllon
Performed by Emmanuel Jal
Courtesy of Gatwitch Records

User Reviews

One of the best films of the year

THE GOOD LIE was only seen in theaters for a brief time back in October, but it has left a lasting impression on me. There are few movies that have a heart like this one. And don't let the advertising mislead you: Reese Witherspoon has a supporting role and doesn't even appear in its first half hour. This story is one of uplift in the face of incredible odds. Its cast of virtual unknowns are superb. And all four of the young African actors are themselves refugees or children of refugees and their ability to relate to the experience allows for a kind of acting you don't see in your average film. I can't wait for it to be available for download or on a DVD. I intend to have friends over to watch it and see for themselves what a really good movie is all about.