Check Google Play Movies availability
Rent or buy
LOADING
MOVIE DECISION GUIDE
Lion
CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Garth Davis. With Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham.
80.4/100
TMDB RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
A five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia; 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
Watch NowWatch trailer
80.4/100
TMDB RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTA five-year-old Indian boy gets lost on the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Aus…
MAKE THE CALL
Does this belong in your night?
A decision, not a review. Choose the kind of night you want and keep your queue honest.
RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for Lion.
MoviHero lists November 24, 2016 as the release date for Lion. Garth Davis is the listed director. The listed cast includes Dev Patel as Saroo Brierley, Rooney Mara as Lucy, David Wenham as John Brierley, Nicole Kidman as Sue Brierley. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateNovember 24, 2016
GenresDrama
Runtime1h 58m
DirectorGarth Davis
CastDev Patel as Saroo Brierley, Rooney Mara as Lucy, David Wenham as John Brierley, Nicole Kidman as Sue Brierley
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is Lion right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
Lion runs 1h 58m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 4/10: a more patient pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 5/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 8/10, suggesting a stronger emotional experience. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with Lion. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
RATING & SOURCE
TMDB audience rating
TMDB: 80.4/100 (8.036/10) from 7,110 votes. Updated Oct 26, 2026.
External ratings are converted directly to /100. We add no popularity, metadata or Watch Profile bonuses. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from numerical ratings submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
What did you think?
Your movie rating. Your audience score.
CHECK AVAILABILITY
Check Lion on Google Play Movies or Apple TV Store
Find rental or purchase options. Confirm availability, price and quality in your region on the store.
Check Apple TV Store availability
Rent or buy
Quality isn’t confirmed yet. Check the viewing option on the provider’s site.
OPTION 2
Other ways to watch Lion
Compare reported U.S. streaming, free, rental and purchase options in one place.
United States
Netflix
SubscriptionCheck quality on provider
Price varies by providerSearch Netflix
Amazon Video
RentBuyCheck quality on provider
Price varies by providerRent or buy
Apple TV Store
RentBuyCheck quality on provider
Price varies by providerVisit Apple TV
WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing4/10
Emotional Impact8/10
Mind-Bending2/10
Scary1/10
Violence2/10
Rewatchability6/10
Attention Required5/10
OTHER PERSPECTIVES
What people think.
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“Lost in India, found in Australia! Based on the book 'A Long Way Home' that tells the story of a young Indian boy who lost…”
Viewer reaction
“An interesting true story. Film starts well and ends well. In the middle, there is a rapid acceleration from being a boy to being a…”
Viewer reaction
“Though it’s Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman who take top billing, it’s the hugely engaging Sunny Pawar who steals his scenes here as the young…”
More reactions (1)
Viewer reaction
“A film of great quality, although marked by the duality of the script and by an excessive emotional appeal.”
Excerpts from TMDB user reviews. Read each full review at its source.
WATCH A PREVIEW
Trailer
A CLOSER LOOK
Stay with the image.
CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
otherSue BrierleySue Brierley appears in Lion (2016).Open character guide otherJohn BrierleyJohn Brierley appears in Lion (2016).Open character guide otherSaroo BrierleySaroo Brierley appears in Lion (2016).Open character guide otherGudduGuddu appears in Lion (2016).Open character guide otherLucyLucy appears in Lion (2016).Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
Keep the night going.
75/100
MOVIHERO ESTIMATEMelpomène
2026·Drama
75/100
MOVIHERO ESTIMATENext Year
2026·Drama
75/100
MOVIHERO ESTIMATEDice-Ching-O-Mat
2026·Drama