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Movies / On DVD / Praying with Lior
Praying with Lior

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Praying with Lior (2007)

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74 %
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Reviews Counted: 19

Fresh: 14

Rotten:5

Average Rating: 6.8/10

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins

Genre: Education/General Interest

Theatrical Release:Feb 1, 2008 Limited

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

Director: Ilana Trachtman
Producer: Ilana Trachtman
Composer: Andy Statman
Studio: First Run Features

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Release:

Mar 24, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Winner of multiple awards and acclaimed by audiences around the world, PRAYING WITH LIOR asks whether someone with Down syndrome can be a "spiritual genius." Many believe Lior is close to God - at least that's what his family and community believe - though he's also a burden, a best friend, an inspiration and an embarrassment, depending on who is asked and when. As this moving and entertaining documentary moves to its climax, Lior must pass through the gateway to manhood - his Bar Mitzvah.
  • Source: First Run Features Home Video
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for Praying with Lior

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    Full Review Source: New York Magazine | comment Comment
    10/18/08
    David Edelstein
    New York Magazine
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    [Director Ilana] Trachtman doesn't downplay the challenges of a family with a Down syndrome child, even one as high-functioning as Lior.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
    07/24/08
    Maureen M. Hart
    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    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.

    Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
    05/01/08
    Michele Kenner
    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

    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.

    Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
    04/25/08
    Janice Page
    Boston Globe
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Charming as Lior is, this triumphant little movie leaps from good to great by exploring the Liebling family dynamic.

    Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
    03/27/08
    Rachel Beckman
    Washington Post
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Praying with Lior focuses on this precocious, lovable lad, while giving time as well to the special challenges he presents to others.

    Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
    02/05/08
    David Noh
    Film Journal International

    Praying With Lior documents the extraordinary life of Lior Liebling, a rabbi’s son with Down syndrome.

    comment Comment
    02/04/08
    Jeannette Catsoulis
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Provides a complex, compelling depiction of the intrinsic relationship between love for God and one's kin.

    Full Review Source: Cinematical | comment Comment
    02/03/08
    Nick Schager
    Cinematical

    Praying with Lior is a tremendously moving and invigorating film, but Lior's love for davening is minimally responsible.

    Full Review Source: Bangitout.com | comment Comment
    02/02/08
    Jordan Hiller
    Bangitout.com

    Uninterested in exploring the larger history of beliefs and traditions concerning mentally challenged people and their closeness to God.

    Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
    02/01/08
    Maitland McDonagh
    TV Guide's Movie Guide

    Ilana Trachtman's gentle profile does make for touching viewing, but she leaves too many questions unanswered.

    Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
    02/01/08
    Elizabeth Weitzman
    New York Daily News
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    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.

    Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
    01/31/08
    Scott Tobias
    AV Club

    An emotionally rich documentary about the extraordinary Bar Mizvah of a spiritually vibrant 13 year-old boy with Down Syndrome.

    Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
    01/31/08
    Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
    Spirituality and Practice

    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.

    Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
    01/31/08
    John Anderson
    Newsday
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    In the Oscars of my mind there exists a category for Cutest Performance, and Lior Liebling just took home the golden statuette.

    Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
    01/31/08
    Rob Humanick
    Slant Magazine

    Lior's big moment is an underdog weeper for the ages; I only wish the 80 minutes that preceded it had been as powerful.

    Full Review Source: Reeler | comment Comment
    01/31/08
    Michelle Orange
    Reeler

    This portrait of mentally challenged Lior Liebling, renowned within his tight-knit Jewish community for his closeness to God, is heartfelt but lacks context.

    Full Review Source: Time Out New York | comment Comment
    01/31/08
    Maitland McDonagh
    Time Out New York

    This doc is a hardcore tearjerker.

    Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
    01/29/08
    Julia Wallace
    Village Voice
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    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.

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    01/29/08
    Dennis Harvey
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    If you can watch Praying With Lior without shedding a tear, it’s time for an emotional checkup.

    Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
    12/21/07
    John P. McCarthy
    Boxoffice Magazine
     
     
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