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      The Good Lie

      PG-13 Released Oct 3, 2014 1 hr. 49 min. Drama List
      84% 90 Reviews Tomatometer 82% 10,000+ Ratings Audience Score 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. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Aug 08 Buy Now

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      The Good Lie

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      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.

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      Audience Reviews

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      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 Mike J The good lie more like hotel Rwanda. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/28/22 Full Review Audience Member Now if that isn't some low key white christian American propaganda machine I don't know what is. I liked everything until they started to grow up and dreamed of going to America. I mean like wow. Who ever directed and produced this movie should really rethink the circle they surround themselves with. It can't be that not one person they knew was quietly thinking to themselves "this won't come across as planned dude, don't do it!". Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Well paced and heartfelt, with genuine kindness to spare. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/14/21 Full Review Audience Member Even though I found it to be a white perspective of the events it shows, it's a good film and I love that the actors were actual Sudanese refugees. It portrays well how poorly countries that provide asylum actually assist the refugees, the complete disregard for their culture and needs once they arrive and settle in, and I did miss the happy Hollywoodian ending with everything 100% in its place. By the middle of the film, I was convinced the title referred to the lie that they would find a good life in America (I'm not saying it wasn't better, that's relative, but I really don't think it met their expectations at all, and this is NOT a spoiler). It's overall a good film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      This movie is featured in the following articles.

      Reese Witherspoon’s 10 Best Movies New on DVD & Blu-Ray: The Good Lie, The Trip to Italy, and Pride Corey Stoll’s Five Favorite Films

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      The Good Lie

      Arnold Oceng as Mamere and Sarah Baker as Pamela Lowi in "The Good Lie." (L-R) Corey Stoll as Jack, Arnold Oceng as Mamere and Reese Witherspoon as Carrie Davis in "The Good Lie." Corey Stoll as Jack in "The Good Lie." Reese Witherspoon as Carrie Davis in "The Good Lie." Reese Witherspoon as Carrie Davis and Corey Stoll as Jack in "The Good Lie." Reese Witherspoon as Carrie Davis and Corey Stoll as Jack in "The Good Lie." Reese Witherspoon as Carrie Davis in "The Good Lie." (L-R) Arnold Oceng as Mamere, Sarah Baker as Pamela Lowi, Emmanuel Jal as Paul and Ger Duany as Jeremiah in "The Good Lie." (L-R) Corey Stoll as Jack and Arnold Oceng as Mamere in "The Good Lie." Ger Duany as Jeremiah in "The Good Lie." View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (90) 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 Cory Woodroof Williamson Home Page The Good Lie weaves a powerful tale of family and survival in the midst of trial. It's an impactful film thats well-worth your time. Feb 11, 2022 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 Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      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
      Executive Producer
      Andrew A. Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Kim Roth, Ellen H. Schwartz, Deepak Nayar, Deborah Jelin Newmyer
      Screenwriter
      Margaret Nagle
      Distributor
      Warner Bros. Pictures
      Production Co
      Black Label Media, Reliance Entertainment, Imagine Entertainment
      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
      Sound Mix
      Dolby Digital, DTS
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