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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.

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:

Dec 1, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 

Blu-ray Disc Features:

  • Region [unknown]
  • Widescreen - 1.85

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - English
  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
  • Dolby True HD 5.1 - English
 
 
 
 

Reviews for Secondhand Lions

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1 - 20 (sorted by comments)
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To see Osment react to a door closing is akin to watching someone get defibrillated.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment 2 Comments
03/26/04
Walter Chaw
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central

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

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
09/20/03
Hollywood.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
09/20/03
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
09/28/03
Boston Phoenix
N/R

Click to read the article

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

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

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

Click to read the article

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

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

With such a bang-up cast, this setup could at least elicit some tears, but in its 107 minutes, nary a one welled up in my eyes.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
09/18/03
Allison Benedikt
Allison Benedikt
Chicago Tribune

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

A saccharine, inoffensive kids movie, which might seem more at home as a made-for-cable affair.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
09/18/03
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Maybe you should let the grandparents take the kids to this one.

Full Review Source: Citysearch | comment Comment
09/18/03
Bill Pearis
Bill Pearis
Citysearch

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)

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Modamag.com | comment Comment
09/27/03
Brian Orndorf
Brian Orndorf
Modamag.com
 
 
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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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