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10/18/08
Praying with Lior (2007)
74
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:19
Fresh:14
Rotten:5
Average Rating:6.8/10
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
Synopsis: Diagnosed with Down syndrome, Lior is considered by some a "spiritual genius" and by others a mere nuisance. This inspiring documentary follows the boy's unique story, culminating in his bar mitzvah.
Director: Ilana Trachtman
Reviews for Praying with Lior
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
[Director Ilana] Trachtman doesn't downplay the challenges of a family with a Down syndrome child, even one as high-functioning as Lior.
07/24/08
A messy brew, sometimes manipulative, with no real conclusions, as Lior, though highly functional, cannot explain his deep sense of religion and those around him are too supportive to question.
05/01/08
This is the latest feel-good documentary to turn a spotlight on a much-misunderstood disorder, and per usual it demands that you unleash your sense of humor and table your pity.
04/25/08
Charming as Lior is, this triumphant little movie leaps from good to great by exploring the Liebling family dynamic.
03/27/08
Praying with Lior focuses on this precocious, lovable lad, while giving time as well to the special challenges he presents to others.
02/05/08
Praying With Lior documents the extraordinary life of Lior Liebling, a rabbi’s son with Down syndrome.
02/04/08
Top CriticProvides a complex, compelling depiction of the intrinsic relationship between love for God and one's kin.
02/03/08
Praying with Lior is a tremendously moving and invigorating film, but Lior's love for davening is minimally responsible.
02/02/08
Uninterested in exploring the larger history of beliefs and traditions concerning mentally challenged people and their closeness to God.
02/01/08
Ilana Trachtman's gentle profile does make for touching viewing, but she leaves too many questions unanswered.
02/01/08
Lior is a special boy, but the film remains refreshingly down-to-earth about his abilities and limitations, and in the four-month buildup to his bar mitzvah, it wonders openly about where this rite of passage might take him.
01/31/08
An emotionally rich documentary about the extraordinary Bar Mizvah of a spiritually vibrant 13 year-old boy with Down Syndrome.
01/31/08
A gentle, tender-hearted portrait of a devout young Jew with Down syndrome, Lior will not be for everyone, ...but its messages of family and love are pretty seductive.
01/31/08
In the Oscars of my mind there exists a category for Cutest Performance, and Lior Liebling just took home the golden statuette.
01/31/08
Lior's big moment is an underdog weeper for the ages; I only wish the 80 minutes that preceded it had been as powerful.
01/31/08
This portrait of mentally challenged Lior Liebling, renowned within his tight-knit Jewish community for his closeness to God, is heartfelt but lacks context.
01/31/08
This doc is a hardcore tearjerker.
01/29/08
Amid an escalating U.S. trend toward commercial entertainment that earnestly or exploitatively taps religious demographics, Praying With Lior explores a rather extraordinary instance of real-world faith, sans condescension or proselytizing.
01/29/08
Top CriticIf you can watch Praying With Lior without shedding a tear, it’s time for an emotional checkup.
12/21/07
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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