"Do you sometimes ask yourself: Have I used up the time the world has given me?"
When Professor Malley, played by Robert Redford, asks this question, Todd laughs and says that everyone has asked this question, but the results are always unsatisfactory. Congressman Ivring, played by Tom Cruise, felt that his position should be in the Office of the President in the White House, and Janine, a reporter played by Meryl Streep, felt that he should sort out a timeline of the war in Afghanistan and tell the truth to the public, rather than for his own political agenda. Ivring endorsement. Todd realizes that the so-called democratic world is actually being played by a bunch of greedy politicians and feels he should stay away from it all, while Professor Malley feels his mission is to discover those extraordinary students who allow them to really "make the most of this" time given by the world". Arian and Ernest think their place should be in Afghanistan, where the world needs them most.
I don't know how passionate ordinary people like us should be about politics, or the world we live in. The Lion in the Sheep's Mouth cuts an hour-long section, calmly showing different people's views of the world. I don't think this is a political film in essence, but through the mouth of Todd, an ordinary college student, who asks and asks the thoughts and questions we have about ourselves and the world.
The whole story is tied together by Arian and Ernest, two college students of color from poor backgrounds. Congressman Ivring was desperate to win a long-term victory in Afghanistan with a reckless attack on the high ground without any plan, and when he was a nobody, the first veteran journalist to speak for him was Janine. mouthpiece to report on this. Arian and Ernest were originally favored students of Professor Malley, but with the outbreak of the war in Afghanistan, they felt an obligation to go where they were needed. And because of their origins, if they can live to the end of the war, they will have a better future as war heroes. Despite Professor Malley's dissuasion, they went to join the army, which happened to be part of Ivring's attack on the highlands. And Todd is Professor Malley's current student, and the professor hopes to persuade him from this indifference to the world.
The entire film takes place in the same hour, during which Congressman Ivring delivers the message of the attack on the Highlands, as well as his own political propaganda, to journalist Janine in his office. Meanwhile in Afghanistan, Arian and Ernest and their squad launch an attack on the highlands, only to discover that Ivring's intel is completely wrong, where the enemy is already in ambush. Ernest was shot and fell from the helicopter, and Arian jumped with him to save his brother. At the same time, Professor Malley interviewed Todd and asked him why he didn't go to class. When he learned that he was disappointed with the democratic system, Professor Malley talked to him about his former students Arian and Ernest.
At the end of the movie, the bombing of the rescue plane failed to eliminate all the enemies, and the remaining enemies surrounded the wounded Arian and Ernest, who stood up with all their strength to meet the death; Congressman Ivring learned the news of the failure of the operation from the phone, almost in Janine made a bluff in front of her but still asked her to report on the operation; Janine returned to the newspaper's office and faced questions from her boss, saying that she would never write this story; Todd went back to his apartment, on the scroll bar under Entertainment News Seeing the news of the attack on the highlands on the battlefield in Afghanistan, I completely ignored the questioning of my roommate, and seemed to understand.
It's more like a stage play than a movie. All the stories happen in the same hour, and there are only three main scenes: the office of Congressman Ivring, the snowy mountain where Arian and Ernest fell off the plane, and the office of Professor Malley. There's a lot of dialogue, but I think the director and screenwriter put their minds to it. The conversation in Professor Malley's office can be said to be very deep, while the conversation in Ivring's office is a desperate and dirty political reality, and the conversation between the life and death brothers on the snowy mountain shows the most noble side of human nature.
There are three parallel lines in the narrative structure, and occasionally Professor Malley recalls the past timeline of Arian and Ernest. There is no flaw in the narrative, but it is not outstanding. However, the characters are well-drawn. My personal favorite is the line in the Congressman's office. The details that are more impressive are: Janine was very nervous before entering Congressman Ivring's office, but when the conversation started, she was like a good reporter. And the unconcealed disgust at the ugly face of the congressman is very good (after all, the Oscar winner); Ivring restrained but still can see the slight change in his face after receiving the call that the action failed, and after a bit of emotional breakdown, but still has to give There was a desperate look in Janine's eyes selling the operation; at the end when Janine was about to leave and asked him if he wanted to run for president, he smiled and said very firmly no.
Finally, about the cast: It can be said to be extremely luxurious, there are old actors Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, and Tom, who is a bit beautiful, and the beautiful spider Andrew Garfield, Ant-Man's good friend Michael Peña (see I was actually quite surprised that he played such a serious role). Everyone's acting skills can be said to be very online. Here I have to say something about Tom: This role is really suitable for him. He has a very charisma personality and is very suitable for playing a politician who is good at lobbying and speeches. .
I don't think it's a particularly wonderful movie, but it has a kind of thinking weight, suitable for watching on a quiet afternoon with nothing to worry about, just give yourself an hour and a half to think about this question:
"Have I used up all the time the world has given me?"
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