The Good Lie

Play trailer

The Good Lie

PG-13

2014

1h 49m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

88 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

After their village is destroyed and their parents killed by Northern militia, Sudanese orphans Theo, his siblings and other survivors make a difficult journey to a refugee camp in Kenya. Thirteen years later, the group gets the chance to settle in the U.S. They are met in Kansas by Carrie Davis (Reese Witherspoon), who has been charged with finding them jobs. However, seeing how adrift they are in 20th-century America, Carrie endeavors to help them in rebuilding their shattered lives.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Good Lie sacrifices real-life nuance in order to turn its true story into a Hollywood production, but the results still add up to a compelling, well-acted, and deeply moving drama.

Read Critics Reviews

Shadow and Act Staff

Shadow and Act

Other than some war set pieces, fish-out-of-water montages, and an uplifting message about the human spirit, there’s not much going on.

Sep 13, 2022

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Strong performances from Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany and Emmanuel Jal ensure that the characters of Mamere, Jeremiah and Paul are never reduced to "exotic" victimhood.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 26, 2015

Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

A Unesco educational resource cast in the style of an unreconstructed 1970s sitcom.

Rated: 2/5

Apr 25, 2015

Full Review

Lucía Roitbarg

EscribiendoCine

Without a doubt, the story of these young people is a moving story and has great potential to achieve a quality cinematic drama but, clearly, it would be interesting to see a different version of it. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Oct 17, 2023

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

A well-intentioned, feel good movie, nicely performed by Witherspoon and the Sudanese cast - Duany and Oceng are stand-outs - that is more successful at raising a smiles than awareness.

Rated: 2.5/5

Feb 2, 2021

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Possesses such a richness of and a faith in humanity that it's practically impossible to watch the film without tearing up a bit.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 9, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jill C.

Great movie! I enjoyed learning about Sudan. Watching them learn and grow in Kansas City was heartwarming. The twist at the end surprised me as well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/19/25

Full Review

Audience Member

For 2014: another A-grade piece of cinema from Reese Witherspoon she plays a humanitarian taking care of a family of South African refugees during the 1987 Sudan civil war it's awful seeing the violent and difficult reality of Africa along with the system diving families apart the movie still shows the Lost Boys of Sudan willing to do whatever it takes in order to stay together it takes a familiar route being a fish-out-of-water story with these refugees struggling to adapt to American soil and just maybe help the others left behind in a hurting country it's true we may be divided by our cultures but it's our humanity that connects us this family of refugees also lives by a code that lying is a sin in itself but they are living the 'good' kind considering the challenges they've faced sure this film feels like corporate Hollywood-esque but it's still a heartwarming and aware journey of a group of people wanting to start over and be free from the traumatizing terrors of a corrupt nation it's really all about these Sudanese individuals, the ones they've lost, the things they've sacrificed, and the hope that lies ahead for them

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/03/24

Full Review

Selina S

So good. So very good. Highly recommend.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/24

Full Review

Dani G

Told in a simple, not overexplained way, it's a heartbreaking and encouraging story, about some people and places we don't even have an idea of his life

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/15/24

Full Review

Emilliano Jr S

It may defict real migration struggles but too fairtales ish.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/27/23

Full Review

Rick A

Surprising small-budget film that relates the story of a family of Sudanese conflict refugees from their perspectives. Worth watching.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/17/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Philippe Falardeau

Director

Reese Witherspoon

Carrie Davis

Arnold Oceng

Mamere

Ger Duany

Jeremiah

Emmanuel Jal

Paul

Corey Stoll

Jack

Restless

36%

48%

Restless

Watchlist

Good Day, Ramon

100%

81%

Good Day, Ramon

Watchlist

Black or White

37%

65%

Black or White

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Black or White

The Help

75%

89%

The Help

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Help

Unconditional

75%

86%

Unconditional

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

After their village is destroyed and their parents killed by Northern militia, Sudanese orphans Theo, his siblings and other survivors make a difficult journey to a refugee camp in Kenya. Thirteen years later, the group gets the chance to settle in the U.S. They are met in Kansas by Carrie Davis (Reese Witherspoon), who has been charged with finding them jobs. However, seeing how adrift they are in 20th-century America, Carrie endeavors to help them in rebuilding their shattered lives.

Director: Philippe Falardeau
Producer: Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Karen Kehela Sherwood, Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill, Trent Luckinbill
Screenwriter: Margaret Nagle
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Reliance Entertainment, Alcon Entertainment, Black Label Media, Imagine Entertainment, Blue Sky Films
Rating: PG-13 (Drug Use|Brief Strong Language|Some Violence|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 9, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.7M
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, DTS

Most Popular at Home Now