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Movies / On DVD / Secondhand Lions
Secondhand Lions

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Secondhand Lions (2003)

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Reviews Counted:131

Fresh:79

Rotten:52

Average Rating:6.1/10

Consensus: A wholesome but schmaltzy movie.

Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins

Genre: Childrens

Synopsis: For 14-year old Walter (Haley Joel Osment), his great uncles’ farm in rural Texas is the last place on earth he wants to spend the summer. Dumped off by his mother, Mae (Kyra Sedgwick), in the... For 14-year old Walter (Haley Joel Osment), his great uncles’ farm in rural Texas is the last place on earth he wants to spend the summer. Dumped off by his mother, Mae (Kyra Sedgwick), in the middle of nowhere with two crazy old men and the promise that she’ll come back for him, Walter doesn’t know what to believe in. Eccentric and gruff, Hub and Garth McCaan (Robert Duvall and Michael Caine) are rumored to have been bank robbers, mafia hit men and/or war criminals in their younger days. The truth is elusive, although they do seem to have an endless supply of cash. But Walter begins to see a new side to his great uncles when he stumbles on an old photograph of a beautiful woman hidden away in a trunk and asks Garth who she is. Little by little, through stories spun against the backdrop of the dusty Texas night, an amazing story comes to life via Walter’s vivid, colorful imaginings – a tale set in a long-ago exotic, mysterious place where men rode stallions and fought with swords; where beautiful princesses tangled with treacherous sheiks; and where the two unlikely heroes lived an adventure most people only dream of. Whether true or not, the uncles’ tales become a doorway to a staggering new world for the boy to live out their adventures. They also give Walter something true to believe in – a world where honor and valor mean more than money and power, and a place that, real or not, belongs only to him. Likewise, in telling their stories to their nephew, Hub and Garth begin to see their own lives with new eyes. Over one unpredictable Central Texas summer in the early 1960’s, everything in the lives of this new family of strangers is about to change forever. New Line Cinema presents Secondhand Lions, written and directed by Tim McCanlies, who wrote the screenplay for the acclaimed animated film, The Iron Giant. The film stars Academy Award winners Michael Caine and Robert Duvall and Academy Award nominee Haley Joel Osment. Kyra Sedgwick, Nicky Katt, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Christian Kane and Kevin Michael Haberer co-star. A David Kirschner Production in association with Digital Domain Productions, the film is produced by David Kirschner, Scott Ross and Corey Sienega. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Mark Kaufman, Janis Rothbard Chaskin, Karen Loop and Kevin Cooper. The co-producer is Amy Sayres. The behind-the-scenes talent includes costume designer Gary Jones, editor David Moritz, production designer David J. Bomba, director of photography Jack Green, ASC and composer Patrick Doyle. Secondhand Lions (rated PG by the M.P.A.A. for “thematic material, language and action violence”) will be released in theaters nationwide on September 19th, 2003. [More]

Starring: Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick

Starring: Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Haley Joel Osment, Kyra Sedgwick, Nicky Katt

Director: Tim McCanlies

Director: Tim McCanlies
Screenwriter: Tim McCanlies
Producer: David Kirschner, Scott Ross, Corey Sienega
Composer: Patrick Doyle
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Reviews for Secondhand Lions

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine
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Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/04/03
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

In the end there may not quite be enough here to make the film a classic, but it's enjoyable and lively and warm while it lasts.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
09/25/03
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Schmaltzed up, dumbed down, bombastically-scored family drama of touchy-feely life lessons.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
10/28/03
Jamie Russell
Jamie Russell
BBC
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
01/15/04
Guardian [UK]
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

You'll leave the theater wanting to call your grandparents just to say hello.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
09/19/03
E! Online
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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
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Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
09/20/03
Hollywood.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This isn't perfect filmmaking, but it's pleasant enough and a pleasure to watch.

Full Review Source: Juicy Cerebellum | comment Comment
09/21/03
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum

It's a real pleasure to watch these two old lions circle each other onscreen.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
09/19/03
Annlee Ellingson
Annlee Ellingson
Boxoffice Magazine

In roughly two hours, Osment has already outgrown both his pants and his role.

Full Review Source: Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah) | comment Comment
09/19/03
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)

Schmaltzy? Absolutely. But in the hands of three exceptional actors, Secondhand Lions is totally entertaining and heartwarming. I'm adding it to my best-of-year list.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
09/16/03
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

This seen-it-all-before family melodrama gets a fresh coat of paint because of the natural performances by Duvall and Caine . . .

Full Review Source: Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN) | comment Comment
09/19/03
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

It's basically innocuous, more or less predictable and mildly diverting. And if it didn't star Michael Caine, Robert Duvall and Haley Joel Osment, it would probably be insufferable.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
09/19/03
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

Two generous helpings of outrageous plot and hammy actors make this a guilty pleasure.

Full Review Source: Denton Record Chronicle (TX) | comment Comment
09/25/03
Boo Allen
Boo Allen
Denton Record Chronicle (TX)

With Caine and Duvall two kings of the acting jungle in top form; more proof why good casting directors are worth their weight in black gold.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
10/12/03
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

With Caine and Duvall two kings of the acting jungle in top form; more proof why good casting directors are worth their weight in black gold.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
10/12/03
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

It is entertaining enough, yet it seems awkward and stilted at times. Other times, it is totally loopy.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
09/19/03
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

The performances of Caine and Duvall are a double-barreled blast.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
09/18/03
Bruce Newman
Bruce Newman
San Jose Mercury News
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Secondhand Lions

August 01, 2005: Haley Joel Osment Plans a "Giant" Comeback
The Hollywood Reporter brings us some news from an old (young) friend: Haley Joel Osment plans to return to the big screen in "Home of the Giants," an indie drama... More...

July 18, 2005: Trailer Bulletin: Saw 2 (teaser)
Fans of last year's indie horror hit "Saw" will want to head on over to the sequel's official site and check out the brief but tantalizing look at "Saw 2."... More...

September 19, 2002: "Had I not known that The Iron Giant and New Line's forthcoming Secondhand Lions shared the same screenwriter in Tim McCanlies, I most likely would have written off Lions as the work of a first-timer still in the process of honing his craft..." Opens in new window
More...

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