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Movies / On DVD / Secondhand Lions
Secondhand Lions

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Secondhand Lions (2003)

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Reviews Counted: 129

Fresh: 77

Rotten:52

Average Rating: 6.1/10

Consensus: A wholesome but schmaltzy movie.

Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for thematic material, language and action violence

Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins

Genre: Childrens

Theatrical Release:Sep 19, 2003 Wide

Box Office: $41,407,470

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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Release:

Oct 4, 2005

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • Secondhand Lions
  • This comedic and touching family film follows the adventures of a shy young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who is sent to spend the summer with his eccentric uncles (Michael Caine, Robert Duvall). At first shocked by his uncles' unconventional behavior that includes ordering African lions through the mail, the boy soon becomes enthralled with unraveling the mystery that has followed the uncles for years. Hearing tales of their exotic adventures involving kidnapped princesses, Arabian sheiks and lost treasure, not only brings him closer to his uncles but also teaches him what it means to believe in something... whether it's true or not.
  • Source: Warner Home Video
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    Reviews for Secondhand Lions

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    Duval and Caine make the film watchable, but there's too much gunplay for the movie to truly be the child-friendly entertainment that it pretends.

    Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
    06/13/09
    Cole Smithey
    ColeSmithey.com
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    03/26/09
    Ronnie Scheib
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
    10/18/08
    Urban Cinefile Critics
    Urban Cinefile

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
    12/30/06
    Empire Magazine
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Lions will appeal to a more mature audience because of the solid acting duo of Caine and Duvall. It will also appeal to children because of its almost mythological feel.

    Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
    10/11/06
    Mary Lasse
    Christianity Today
    N/R

    Click to read the article

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

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
    12/06/05
    Film Threat
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
    07/21/05
    Houston Chronicle
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Most 'family films' aim too low. Perhaps there should be hearty applause for one that tries to do too much good in its small space of time.

    Full Review Source: Looking Closer | comment Comment
    12/06/04
    Jeffrey Overstreet
    Looking Closer

    My only reservation about Caine is his less than credible Texas accent, especially since his brother's is so pronounced.

    Full Review Source: Kansas City Kansan | comment Comment
    10/15/04
    Steve Crum
    Kansas City Kansan

    To see Osment react to a door closing is akin to watching someone get defibrillated.

    Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment 1 Comment
    03/26/04
    Walter Chaw
    Film Freak Central

    An unpretentiously sweet home-is-where-the-heart-is fantasy.

    Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
    02/01/04
    Ed Gonzalez
    Slant Magazine
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
    01/15/04
    Guardian [UK]
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    [T]he real lesson here may be for Haley Joel Osment, who could well have Dickie Roberts II in his future.

    Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
    01/01/04
    Daniel M. Kimmel
    Worcester Telegram & Gazette

    This film may be all over the map, but at least it takes viewers to some interesting places.

    Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
    11/10/03
    Matt Brunson
    Creative Loafing
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
    11/01/03
    Todd R. Ramlow
    PopMatters

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

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

    'There is something to be said for reminding audiences of simple truths found amidst complex circumstances. But here, the film becomes a series of hokey contrivances and the simple truth it illustrates is so reductive it is almost insulting.'

    Full Review Source: Star Newspapers (Chicago, IL) | comment Comment
    10/22/03
    Michael Drakulich
    Star Newspapers (Chicago, IL)

    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
    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
    Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
     
     
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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
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