Secondhand Lions (2003) User Reviews

Gentle yet more substantial than a first viewing offers

[pwoods1 · 7/10 · 25 September 2004]

This is a very gentle film - not as gripping as Big Fish but in a similar genre - which is worth a second look and therefore a reappraisal.

Ostensibly a coming-of-age film, I saw it more as an abandoned child's (surely Walter is such) search for belonging: a search for affirmation that life is more than being cast-off as worthless by the person she/he loves, and therefore worth living. At one point Walter indicates that he is sick of being lied to by his mother, Mae, apparently always dumping him for the "new boyfriend" in her life. And thus we come to the crux of the movie.

"Secondhand Lions" refers as much to the curmudgeonly uncles, Garth and Hub, (eccentric characters wonderfully understated/underplayed by Michael Caine and Robert Duvall) as it does to the "used" lion that the brothers purchase. Walter first becomes fascinated by Garth's fantastical tales of Africa, but when Garth "misremembers" the rescue of Jasmine, the only love of his brother's life, Walter starts to question the truth behind their past. Indeed, having witnessed Hub's (apparent) sleepwalking, Walter doubts the sanity of his uncles.

Earlier, however, on arrival at their decaying home, the child has discovered a well-traveled cabin trunk; and, upon opening it, discovers sand covering a portrait of whom he later learns is Jasmine - the love of Hub's life. Later, in a show of bravado when he names the ageing "secondhand" lion "Jasmine", the threads of Hub's story come together and, intriguingly enough, when Walter appears to be leaving, it is Hub whom he fiercely hugs. In a sense, Hub's loss of Jasmine mirrors his own emptiness.

OK. It's gentle, but I offer that the constant (I would argue not intrusive) symbolism and allegories work. Walter exposes a pointless existence in as much as the brothers are waiting to die - and gives them a reason to live. And, of course, they live beyond his and their wildest dreams. But those dreams are shown, finally, as truth. The denouement, twee as it might seem, fits the script. The treasure/money which Walter's mother Mae told him to seek becomes the love/relationship which he needed.

(By the way, it's OK to cry. Big boys do that too. I did.)

Secondhand Lions: Wondrous

[Platypuschow · 8/10 · 7 December 2023]

Plot

A coming-of-age story about a shy young boy sent by his irresponsible mother to spend the summer with his wealthy, eccentric uncles in Texas.

Cast

Haley Joel Osment, Michael Caine, Robert Duvall with support from Christian Kane, Emmanuelle Vaugier and brief appearance by Eric Balfour.

Verdict

When it comes to entertainment my dad is a hard man to please, he doesn't really like music (No really), and when it comes to movies and television he's so picky it's intolerable. Secondhand Lions is one of the few films he's enjoyed and perhaps the only thing he's ever recommended me. I didn't rush to watch it, based on what I'd seen and read it didn't appeal but I'm a man of my word and eventually got round to it.

To my surprise, it was not what I expected at all. And to be clear what I mean by that is that it's a remarkably good film, endearing, heartfelt, well constructed and had me unable to look away.

It's not exactly a new tale, we've seen it before and is ultimately a coming of age story but I'm not sure I've ever seen it done quite this well.

Serious when it needs to be serious, funny when it needs to be funny and positively whimsical when it needs to be whimsical.

Rants

A lot of people moan that there simply aren't enough "Innocent" films out there. No sex, little to no violence, just focusing on character development and a wholesome story. I'd agree that there aren't enough but disagree that's the only thing we need. Secondhand Lions is an "Innocent" film but it does have violence yet I'm not corrupted nor more violent as a result from watching it. Each to his/her own.

Breakdown

Great performances (Even Caine is passable) Fantastic story Constructed perfectly A film that sticks with you Sad moment that I didn't appreciate.

Heartwarming Family Movie

[flying-monkeys · 9/10 · 4 September 2004]

I have been told by many people this was a great movie and one I needed to watch. Well finally I watched it today and it didn't disappoint me. It has so many great elements to it. I laughed in some parts and cried my eyes out in others. I loved the line "...died with his (or her) boots on." It's a great statement about living your life to the fullest and believing in the things that really matter like love and honor. The actors were fabulous. I think young Haley Joel Osment has a lot to offer films and I hope we see much more of him in the future. Michael Caine never disappoints me and I love his Texas accent in the film. Overall, this is truly one movie fit for all ages. A true heartwarming film with a great message for anyone who will hear it.

Achieves Excellence!

[staplek · 10/10 · 22 September 2003]

"Secondhand Lions" is a movie which has achieved excellence. The story line is fast-moving and packed with nuance. Various elements of the plot overlap and blend for a harmonious whole. It is not a series of action scenes played primarily for visual impact, but a compelling story which demands attentive viewing.

Flashback scenes are intentionally cartoonish, so that the audience, like the character of the boy Walter, is left wondering whether the fantastic tales of the old uncles' adventurous youth are really to be believed. Uncle Garth tells the stories, which we see through Walter's imagination. We see in the flashbacks what Walter envisions as he hears the stories, and Walter doesn't have the age and experience to see anything other than the caricatures which appear in the flashback scenes. It's not a photo-accurate rendition, it's what a youngster imagines while listening to oral storytelling. For instance, a twelve-year-old Texan in the 1950s wouldn't have been likely to know what a really angry Sheik would have looked like in the 1920s. These flashbacks, and the ways in which they are depicted, are central to the plot of the movie. Through his storytelling, without realizing it, Uncle Garth nurtures a creative potential in Walter (who will grow up to become a cartoonist).

Christian Kane is a magnificent casting choice as young Uncle Hub (the younger incarnation of Duvall's character), displaying just the right kind of spark for the daring adventurer. Kyra Sedgwick is eerily believable as Walter's shallow and self-absorbed mother. The family of hick relatives is superbly annoying.

Haley Joel Osment delivers a solid portrayal of Walter. Sometimes his voice sounds like that of a boy, sometimes like that of a young man, as would be expected in a male of Walter's age. Sometimes Walter cries like a child, sometimes he displays stoic maturity, as would be expected from a boy who is in the transition of becoming a man. We see Walter unsure of himself in the beginning, but later finding his footing. Not too sugary, not too hard-edged, Haley Joel Osment is ideal for the role. He may be overshadowed by Caine and Duvall, but actually holds his own reasonably well, working between these two living legends.

Michael Caine's accent as Uncle Garth is a perfect portrayal of a Texan who has lived outside Texas for much of his life. Garth is no bumpkin hick, but a man who has traveled the world, and in light of his experiences it would not have been credible to give this character a strong country drawl. Even though, as the plot progresses, we don't know how much of Garth's fantastic storytelling we should believe, there is never a question of whether Garth has ventured outside the Texas borders. (Education and travel tend to have the effect of diminishing regional accents. I have lived in Texas for twenty years, and have known many older native Texans whose diction is much like Garth's.) Michael Caine gives Uncle Garth just the right combination of toughness and tenderness, and treads the fine line of allowing us to see Garth as a trustworthy character regardless of his adventurous stories.

The uncles are very realistic characterizations, and Texas holds many characters like them. The aging uncles had, as young men, gone away to find adventure, and lived on the edge for much of their lives. Then they returned home to retire in a rural Texas setting which they were finding to be just a little too tame, no longer remembering much about Texas country life except for acquiring the obligatory too many dogs. The uncles don't say much to each other because there is no need to say much, they understand each other perfectly. Confronted with age, they seek out reckless behavior, unwilling to sit still and get older, unable to overtly give up on life. Walter's presence suddenly requires them to adapt to new purpose, and to take care of themselves, too, as they are faced with the issue of providing appropriate male role models so that their young nephew might one day become an appropriate man.

Despite the studio's description, this is not a "heartwarming" movie with a happy, fluffy resolution for all concerned. The characters must make choices, and not always easy ones. The valiant tales of adventure don't always conclude with happily-ever-after fairytale endings. It is not purely a comedy, but instead probes the depths of emotion. The adult audience will probably appreciate this movie the most, but it is an appropriate movie for pre-teens as well.

Very Special

[nabor7 · 10/10 · 31 October 2004]

I cannot see how anyone would dis this movie unless they especially disliked a particular actor. I thought the casting was great, right down to the secondhand lion and the pig. The flashbacks were hilarious because as we age, the things we did before become more dramatic and are further enhanced. No one thinks about their past in terms of mediocrity, and this was brought out in the flashback scenes. Osment was a superb cast in this movie because of his unchanging facial expression. He has been burnt out with lies and his mother's constant searching for a husband only to find another loser.His comment to his mother said it all. Here was a kid who had met a lot of "uncles", so here were two more uncles that he was being pawned off on.

Robert Duvall and Michael Caine are the only two actors that come to mind who could pull this off. I plan to add this to my collection and would highly recommend it to anyone who has a ever daydreamed about far off places or dares to dream about what might have been.

Hollywood has gone off the deep end in trying to project a certain political ideology and this has hurt the overall film industry. It is no wonder that when a good movie like this comes out, it is not given a second look and is soon forgotten. It's sad.

Secondhand surprise

[Nezz · 28 October 2003]

This movie was worth-watching. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic. Just as young Walter (Haley Joel Osment) gets to know his great uncles (Michael Caine and Robert Duvall), we are introduced to this pair of "Secondhand Lions". Just as Walter learns to trust these two eccentric strangers after a lifetime of lies from his untrustworthy mother, we are allowed to learn the lessons of life in pace with him. There are no plot tricks, just eye-widening revelations as the story unfolds at a satisfying pace.

This is not a small quiet story, however. There is the rumor of a hidden fortune of which, it seems, everyone from relatives to traveling salesmen has heard. There are hints that it was obtained through the uncles' adventures but also that it might be ill-gotten gains. Along with Walter, the audience discovers the truth of the rumor.

There is action, comedy, danger, acts of courage, defiance, and tragedy that is part of human frailty. It's wonderfully accomplished in a way that allows older children to enjoy it with their parents. You have characters with whom you can identify no matter what your stage in life.

The director skillfully weaves the past and the present and still manages to preserve the confirmation of story until the very end. I don't want to say too much about this movie or it will spoil the fun of experiencing/watching it. Don't miss this movie.

A Heartwarming Tale...

[NeHaud · 7/10 · 2 June 2011]

Who would have ever thought that Michael Caine and Robert Duvall would ever be in a movie together? These two actors have played such opposite characters in their acting careers that putting them together in a movie would be a major task...however, this movie not only succeeds in the pairing but also excels in it. The two actors support each other magnificently, making the movie such a treat to watch. The movie is uplifting and such a blast, masterfully combining comic relief with more serious themes. (I nearly died laughing when Michael Caine said the word "ain't," never dreaming in a thousand I would hear the British actor go country.) The movie is a perfect "coming of age" story, with good morals and lessons. I don't want to go into too much detail with the movie, less I ruin some truly amazing scenes, but I recommend it for any family movie night.

A Perfect Family Film

[The Gryphon · 10/10 · 23 January 2005]

A classic. This is one of those male bonding movies one tends to cringe at nowadays, but there's no cringing here. Due to the wonderful script, direction and acting by all the principals, this one unfolds like a rose in bloom. Before you know it the movie has you in its grasp and the characters become 3-dimensional and their battles become yours as well. The plot is simple...a teenager is dumped on his great-uncles by his scheming mother who wants the kid to find where the uncles have hidden their fortune. The uncles, played by Michael Caine, sans British accent, and Robert Duvall, work well together as brothers slow to warm to the boy, played by Haley Joel Osment. Eventually the layers peel away and the boy learns about the earlier thrilling adventures of the uncles and begins to see them as role models. But then, are the stories true? Should the boy return to his mother? Should the uncles fight to keep him around? The ending had me in tears. Tears of happiness. A perfect film for the entire family.

Decent and memorable.

[Filmnerd1984 · 7/10 · 18 June 2011]

Decent family film about two old geezers played by Robert Duvall and Michael Caine who settles down in their old birthplace Texas after 40 years of swashbuckling adventures. But when their nephew(Osment) whom they have never met get thrown at their doorstep by his irresponsible mother, they soon discover sides of themselves either long forgotten or never experienced. I loved Duvall's performance simply because his character had more mystique and flair than Caine's character. But in contrast to each other it plays out wonderfully humorous. I actually wouldn't mind a prequel of this film based on the story's spent in the foreign legion and numerous wars. And of course Emmanuelle Vaugier's role however short is one of the things i will remember most about this film in a visual context, A stunningly beautiful actress with great acting skills. Well i have rambled on enough. Just see the film if you are in the mood for a comedic but dramatic coming of age story with grade A actors.

Heartwarming, wholesome family viewing

[headhunter46 · 10/10 · 18 February 2005]

This movie made us laugh, and cry. It touches on every aspect of growing up and growing old. It addresses the right way to live, and the wrong.

There's some humor from the crotchety old uncles and some sadness from a boy who is unfortunate to have an irresponsible mother.

There are swashbuckling sword fights and several surprises that keep it moving at a pleasant pace. If I tell you more it will ruin it. The surprises are what make it so special.

The less you know about this movie before watching it the better.

It left me feeling so good, I watched it again the very next night. It was a rental.

Unless you are a very hardened person, I guarantee you will laugh many times and even the toughest ones who NEVER cry at movies will have a scowl on their face at least once.

I plan to buy a version of this the first chance I get.

A Very Average Movie

[socrates4 · 6/10 · 2 May 2019]

SECONDHAND LIONS has some very fun moments. It's got some fun, very quotable dialog. It's got some very boring moments too, as well as a few that will make you scratch your head. It's frustrating at times, but not overly so. Just when you think the story is going to take a turn for the better, it stays the same.

At the end of it, I was glad I'd seen it. But I'll probably never watch it again. The acting is good and it was a good ensemble. Good to see all these actors working together. Recommend for fans of the cast.

Waking the Dead

[anderson-apryl · 10/10 · 12 January 2005]

I am very critical about movies, especially the ones which will pass before the eyes of my 9 & 7-yr old daughters, so I was extremely surprised and impressed with Secondhand Lions. I was washed away by the depth of this movie and challenged by what it presented. Tucked into the mystery of the uncles' past (unraveling in the moonlight) is a revelation of a life well-lived. What drives man to a life of adventure and where does he go when his body can't keep up? What, when, where determines how he passes the wisdom of the ages? Created in the image of God, we are challenged to be fully alive while we have the strength. "Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things that man needs to believe in the most" and I won't spoil the movie for you by giving you the carrot. I will tell you that there is a sincere love for life in this story that is utterly compelling. Go read "Waking the Dead" and "If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat", watch "Secondhand Lions" with your most courageous friends and the loved ones you wish would be so fearless, and then meet me for coffee in Marseille. Bon courage à vivre!

The sum of the parts = very entertaining

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 18 February 2007]

Part fairytale, part tearjerker, part animal movie, generally spells disaster in a film. Not here however, as all of the parts mesh quite nicely and the result is an entertaining movie. Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, and Haley Joel Osment all give believable performances. There is imagination at work and the result is that children 8+ in addition to adults will enjoy "Secondhand Lions". So, if you don't mind breaking out the tissues, I recommend this as an evenings entertainment. For comparison, I would rate another tearjerker "The Three Lives of Thomasina" 6.5., and recommend it as an excellent companion to "Secondhand Lions". - MERK

amusing but unmoving

[cherold · 5/10 · 27 August 2004]

This movie starts off pretty well, as a kid's irresponsible mother dumps him with a couple of unfriendly uncles she doesn't even know. And for the most part the movie is an enjoyably light movie with fun scenes involving traveling salesmen and worn out lions. It's got a Disney fun-for-the-whole-family feel and comes across as something genial and likable. Problems arise in the second half when the movie leans more heavily on dramatic elements. The movie assumes that if you put a sad kid with a couple of colorful relatives that a deep bond will form, and that may be so, but the movie really doesn't do anything to show us happening. They tell some entertaining stories, do some wacky stuff, and then there are tears and hugs and you just have to say, what's the big deal? One doesn't see a real bond form between the kid and his uncles, and even the bond between the uncles is more in the telling than the showing. The cast is good, but the writing is lazy, with a generic bad mother and the like. The last half hour is all drama and thus all hollow and tedious. If the movie had fulfilled the amusing promise of its first half I would have given it a 7 out of 10, but the last part barely musters a 4 so I rate the overall impact at a 5.

Put Your Hands Together, Clap and Cheer.

[tfrizzell · 27 October 2003]

Cartoonist Josh Lucas (of "A Beautiful Mind") gets a phone call telling that his two great-uncles have been in an accident. Immediately we see the Lucas character in the form of young Haley Joel Osment as he is literally dropped off with great-uncles Michael Caine and Robert Duvall by lousy mother Kyra Sedgwick in the 1960s. It seems that the two supposedly have a huge fortune somewhere on their property in Texas and Sedgwick, along with several others, have been trying to find the treasures for themselves. Osment seems out-of-place completely at first and his two uncles appear to be cold and unfeeling, but soon Duvall is seen sleep-walking and acts like he is sword-fighting while he does. Osment has never seen anyone act this way before and he becomes curious. He finds a photo of the beautiful and exotic Emmanuelle Vaugier in the house's tower and his want to know the pasts of his uncles' builds. Caine tells Osment of a time at the start of World War I when the duo unwittingly became a part of the French Legion, fighting with the Allies during the war. The war comes and goes and Caine starts to tell of Duvall's love for Vaugier when he was a young man. Naturally she was also wanted by an evil sheik (Adam Ozturk) and thus he had to protect she and himself at all times. Eventually the stories conclude and Osment finds out how the two got their money. But could it be possible that what Caine has been conveying are just stories and not the true reality? "Secondhand Lions" (the title refers to an old lion that Duvall and Caine buy during the course of the picture) is one of those movies that makes you feel that there are still good people in Hollywood who really want to develop nice family-oriented films that cater to all age groups. Writer/director Tim McCanlies shows real potential here and Osment continues to amaze. He holds his own with legends Caine and Duvall from the word go. Osment, who is the most atypical youngster in Hollywood these days (never selling out to be in junk like "Freddy vs. Jason" or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake), just keeps on growing and maturing as a performer. His range was amazing in "The Sixth Sense" and he has not lost his gift, instead he has cultivated it further. Definitely not a perfect film, but still a very enjoyable trip to the movies that stands tall during a year of sub-par movies. With all the shortcomings from Hollywood in 2003, the family films have been surprisingly the best productions by far. 4 stars out of 5.

Easy To Recommend

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 5 February 2006]

It sounds like a cliché, but I don't know anybody who didn't like this film. I recommended it to a number of people, and all were impressed with it as I was.

Excellent acting and an interesting low-key story make this a very enjoyable 110 minutes of entertainment. A story about two old geezers who take in a 14-year- old to their home for a month doesn't sound too exciting but this film will surprise you.

It's tough to find two elder gentlemen as good and appealing as Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, anyway, so you have two winners right there. Add a fine, fine young actor in Haley Joel Osment and now you have three excellent actors who comprise most of the lines of the film.

This is one of those rare "guarantee" movies in which you can safely tell your friends to watch it and not regret the recommendation.

And Now For Something Completely Different...

[Gavno · 9/10 · 5 April 2004]

For a VERY long time I've been disgusted with most of the stuff coming out of Hollywood... too many movies with huge budgets and absolutely NO imagination or talent involved. Lately tho, the Hollywood system has slipped a bit, and a few films by SMART people working with nonformula scripts have been falling through the cracks. And they're a refreshing breeze for those of us that don't bother with "One Weekend Wonders" that generate monster box office receipts for two or three weeks, that involve the latest orgasm generator "stars" and a ton of explosives and guns... just to sink into oblivion afterwards, like TITANIC or PEARL HARBOR.

The LAST intelligent movie I saw was A MIGHTY WIND. Right on it's heels, we get SECONDHAND LIONS.

I've been a Robert Duval fan for a LONG time... there's more than a little bit of Sonny from THE APOSTLE, and a taste of Colonel "Bull" Meecham from THE GREAT SANTINI thrown into the character of Hub. He's done a Tour De Force job with the performance. WONDERFUL!!!

The biggest surprise in all of this tho was Michael Caine's take on playing a Texas redneck! It's hard to imagine that the impeccably English Spitfire squadron commander from BATTLE OF BRITAIN could pull off a crusty, aging Texan, but he DOES it beautifully. He even gets the accent down quite well!

This is a film that's a TON of fun from beginning to end. IMHO it's destined to become a classic, very much like Jean Sheppard's A CHRISTMAS STORY.

It's worth the trip. Pick it up, and you won't be sorry.

Gavno

Learning about life from your two eccentric uncles in central Texas

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 13 July 2021]

In the summer of 1962, a troubled, introverted boy (Haley Joel Osment) is dropped off by his dubious mother (Kyra Sedgwick) at the remote home of his two great-uncles in central Texas (Michael Caine and Robert Duvall). His money-loving mom and other relatives are only interested in their (supposed) hidden cache of wealth while the kid simply needs their acceptance, wisdom and love.

"Secondhand Lions" (2003) is a quirky coming-of-age drama that combines elements of "A Perfect World" (1993) and "Sling Blade" (1996) with the amusement of Indiana Jones, "Simon Birch" (1998) and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000). It's entertaining, enlightening and heartwarming all at the same time. Yet it's more than just a coming-of-age drama because it effectively addresses one's usefulness in life after his/her physical prime. It's also a good animal flick, although they're peripheral.

The film runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot in the Austin, Texas, area, including Pflugerville, Manor (fight at store) & Lockhart, Texas.

GRADE: B.

Fantastic

[blanche-2 · 10/10 · 1 February 2017]

Michael Caine and Robert Duvall are the "Secondhand Lions" in this 2003 film featuring Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick and Josh Lucas.

Set in 1962, Caine and Duvall are brothers Garth and Hub, in their fifties when the film begins. They live an isolated life with five dogs and a pig on a farm. They mostly sit on the porch with rifles and shoot at salespeople -- the word is out that Garth and Hub have amassed a fortune.

This knowledge attracts unwelcome relatives to the farm as well. One day their floozie niece (Sedgwick) drops off her quiet, sad son Walter and heads for a courtroom transcriber school. So she says. What she wants is for Walter to find their uncles' money while she's away.

Garth and Hub don't want Walter, but soon, the boy begins to enjoy himself. One day a salesman comes to offer Garth and Hub a skeet shooter. They're about to pull their guns when Walter says, What good is money if you don't spend it? Soon the men are buying all kinds of things, including new clothes for yard work for themselves and Walter, seeds for planting, and a lion they plan on shooting. The lion they get is female and old - and they don't end up shooting it.

Walter finds a photo of a beautiful woman in his room and asks Garth about it. Garth tells Walter stories about the mens' adventures when they were young, which include fighting off a sheikh in a distant land and saving the fair Jasmine, whom Hub marries and is the woman in the photo. But she's not there now, and Walter wonders what happened to her.

What a beautiful film that shows the power of love and connection as these two grouches, considering their lives over, save this boy, bounced around while his mother finds new boyfriends, and how he enriches theirs. There is a great deal of humor and poignancy here. This is so much more than a family film. You have two stellar actors, Caine and Duval, for one thing, a beautiful performance by Osment, and excellent supporting players, particularly Sedgwick, a favorite of mine.

I've probably seen about 4500 films in my life, most of which are reviewed by me on IMDb. Discounting the classics of the Golden Era and just taking the post-1960 films, I think some of the best were Road to Perdition, Phoenix, No Country for Old Men, Interiors, Remember, Divided We Fall, Run Lola Run -- in the end, maybe 25 stick out as being special. This is one.

I think today with so much turmoil around us, we need to get in touch with some simpler values and take a break from all of the dark films and the CGI technique once in a while. There is nothing hokey about this film, and I highly recommend it.

Not much roar in this lion

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 22 October 2003]

Greetings again from the darkness. This is a fine mainstream movie that most family members can enjoy. The problems occur when one tries to look much deeper. As a film lover, I will never miss an opportunity to see screen legends Michael Caine (with a Texas accent?) and Robert Duvall work together. They are masters of their craft. Also, to watch the development of Haley Joel Osment as a teen actor holds some interest. Although, in this movie, he provides no answers as to whether he has a future in films. He has the crying on demand and skittish nature to play the wounded young teen, but whether he has the skill to carry a more difficult role remains to be seen. His awkward appearance will not help. Director Tim McCanlies (from SMU in Dallas) does a nice job of filmmaking with the limited script. Every scene cut too early - leaving the audience with an empty feeling on what is really going on with these two fascinating, anything-but-senior citizens. The whole thing with Nikki Katt and Kyra Sedgwick was just plain terrible and embarrassing for all involved. This movie only works when Caine and Duvall are onscreen.

I love this movie

[dbborroughs · 9/10 · 11 November 2008]

Robert Duvall and Michael Caine in a movie written and directed by the screenwriter of the Iron Giant.(yes he's credited with the screenplay) Insert Grin here.

Oh please you know where its going but it detours so nicely every which way you don't care.The cast is great, the story funny and touching. No, you won't blather like at the end of Iron Giant, but you will feel warm and toasty.

My complaints, and there are two, are as follows: First the mother of Haley Joel Osment is annoying as all hell and while its required to set the movie in motion, I wish she was more realistic instead of a cartoon. The same goes for the other group of relatives that drops in from time to time. They are used to comic effect nicely but they are too cartoony.

The second is the whole bit when the mother returns with the boyfriend to pick up Osment. Yes its the deus ex machina that gets us to the warm and fuzzy ending, but its the one plot false note in the whole thing...

Other than that its just a lot of fun.

I am curious how much studio tinkering was done since once or twice I thought it had been trimmed.

No matter. See this film.

Charming Movie that Works

[chron · 7/10 · 4 April 2004]

This movie was an unexpected treat. I expected more of a "Grumpy Old Men" type comedy that laughs at some curmudgeonly old men. Instead, it was a interesting tale of, well, tales. Tall Tales.

A young man, Walter, is dumped by his irresponsible mother at the doorstep of her eccentric uncles. The interaction between the men and the youngster are intermixed with tales of the men's younger, adventurous youth. The result is a structure similar to "Fried Green Tomatoes", but it falls well short of "Fried Green Tomatoes".

The stories of the men's youth are spun to be pretty tall tales. I think the movie would have had a much better impact if their stories were "spun" a little less. There are moments of sappy interaction between the generations, but not enough to harm the movie in any substantive way.

I would also have been more interested in understanding why Walter's mother was so selfish toward her child. I guess the desire was to keep the plot "light". In keeping the characters somewhat less than three dimensional, it fails to draw in the audience as much as "Fried Green Tomatoes".

Regardless of these shortcomings, it does deliver on an interesting plot and solid performances by the principal characters. I recommend it.

pure delight

[pmmoorman · 10/10 · 17 September 2004]

Is there anything not good about this movie..? Great casting, great story line, excellent cinematography, absolute very very funny and at the same time a good tearjerker with a surprisingly mix of funny and sad twist at the end. The movie was (in the Netherlands)listed as the best movie for all the family since 'finding little Nemo'... well let me correct that... 'finding little Nemo' only could wish to stand so close in the shadow of this excellent coming of age-movie. 'Second hand lions' is funnier, tickles the imagination and tells some wise life-lessons. Just see the movie and let the magic of truly good storytelling take hold of you.

Caine and Duvall (and that annoying kid), in sort of a Disney story

[rainking_es · 6/10 · 19 August 2004]

Caine and Duvall, and sort of a Disney story

Secondhand Lions is just a good movie for the kids to watch on a Saturday afternoon. Two grumpy old men have two take care of a young boy whose mother's a little bit flirtatious. The story is quite predictable, and there're hundred's of movies with the same plot.

Anyway, it's good directed, and we got Michael Caine and Robert Duvall, who have demonstrated their talent through dozens of movies. In fact it's because of them that I watched this picture. And It didn't disappoint me because I didn't expect nothing out of the ordinary. It's just a pleasure to watch this two giants together (I think this is the first time they ran into the same movie). As for Haley Joel, I can't stand that kid. He did a good job in Sixth Sense, but that's all. I can't stand his voice, nor his expression (ALWAYS the same).

struggling to believe it

[marc-577-718725 · 2/10 · 17 June 2013]

After watching Secondhand Lions (which we had bought on blue ray as a wild card in a sale), I struggled to comprehend what I had just seen. I viewed the feature about how the story was accepted and produced by New Line Cinema and still felt baffled. The screenwriter / director's four-page rant at a previous producer, who had suggested certain changes, shed more light on the singular mindset behind the film than on the story. At the same time, so many studio officials said how it was the writer's most personal script, and how they absolutely loved it, that I wondered what I might have missed. Turning to the reviews on IMDb as a sanity check, and the majority of the reviews being positive, I was initially not sure I'd seen the same film.

I reckon the most important question the film asks is what stories to believe. Walter is about 13 years old and the only people in his life present him with challenging versions of the truth. At the start of the film, Walter's mother prepares to pack him off to his great-uncles with all kinds of speculations about their wealth, their brief remaining life expectancy, and Walter's chances of becoming their heir just by paying them an unannounced visit for an indefinite period of time. On the other hand, Walter's uncles, who spend most of their time shooting at salesmen and trying to build their own airplane, tell tall tales set in the Middle East about a beautiful princess, an evil sheik, and bags and bags full of gold pieces.

It could be a comedy, given all the flat characters. There is also a suitably annoying bunch of hillbilly relatives and an inconsequential quartet of fight-eager late teens who look like rebels with no cause times four.

But it isn't funny. Just when things get so ridiculous one might want to laugh - the quartet of teens that get beaten to pulp by one of the uncles eagerly take in his Wise Old Man's speech on How To Be A Good Man in the next scene, for instance - there are hugs, eager looks from Walter who wants to hear the speech too and become a Good Man, and intense music to tell us that this is Significant.

However, things that really are significant are brushed under the carpet. Walter is aware that his mother is lying to him; that she is ready to abandon him in search of the next boyfriend; and that the next boyfriend is likely to be an idiot who will end up beating her (presumably like all the previous ones). Instead of dealing with this in a sensitive way, the film gives us a bunch of "keep the kid(s) happy" surrogates.

The uncles provide entertainment in the form of exotic stories, but their idea of providing food amounts to hacking at a vegetable patch with a shovel and shooting fish with a gun. A random lioness turns up who protects Walter from his mother's latest, and predictably violent, boyfriend. The animal does this apparently because Walter had previously set her free in a corn field - where the meat-eater presumably turned vegetarian. Oh, and a surreal amount of money scattered in a basement under the porch (some of it in safes, but with the safe doors open) provides a bit of mystery, but quickly dissolves into irrelevance. Everybody seems to know about it anyway, including the thick relatives; Walter ignores any rumours about theft, and chooses to believe the tales about African adventures and gold pieces; but most of all, the story has lost the plot by this time, and no amount of money stacked wherever can save it.

I've seen films before that were an equal waste of time, but I've never felt compelled to write such a long review of them. Maybe it is because I am trying to comprehend how the studio that produced The Lord of the Rings allowed Secondhand Lions to happen. And how such a respectable cast, and support from a heap of well-trained animals with potential for comedy to boot, ended up in such a mess. The most offensive thing about this mess is how it pretends to be family entertainment, while not a single family value I am aware of is upheld, or parodied, or dealt with in any other mature way. Someone's review on the IMDb said this film was as responsible a type of entertainment for kids as pornography, and I sadly have to agree.