THE GOOD LIE | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"THE GOOD LIE"
(2014) (Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Oceng) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: A number of Sudanese refugees try to survive the civil war back home and then their relocation years later to the United States.

PLOT:

It's 1987 and Mamere (PETERDENG MONGOK), Abital (KEJI JALE) and Theo (OKWAR JALE) are siblings living in a remote Sudanese village. When soldiers attack during Sudan's civil war, those kids and others are left orphaned, and thus set off on an arduous trek through hostile environs as they try to make their way to Ethiopia. Hundreds of miles into the trip, they encounter other displaced kids, including Jeremiah (THON KUETH) and Paul (DENG AJUET), and learn that Ethiopia is no longer safe and that Kenya is now the country to head for.

They do, but Theo has them break off from the group just before another military attack, thus leaving him leading Mamere, Abital, Jeremiah, Paul and a very ill younger boy. Theo ends up captured so that the others can escape, and the ill boy dies, but Mamere leads the rest to a refugee camp where they spend the next thirteen years. Then, thanks to a Christian charity, a now older Mamere (ARNOLD OCENG), Jeremiah (GER DUANY), Paul (EMMANUEL JAL) and Abital (KUOTH WIEL) are relocated to the United States. But due to red tape, Abital is sent to Boston, while the young men arrive in Kansas City.

They're supposed to be met by a charity worker, Pamela (SARAH BAKER), but when she can't make it, employment agency worker Carrie (REESE WITHERSPOON) shows up to pick them up from the airport, initially unaware of the culture shock they're experiencing and how unprepared they are for this big move. With the help of her boss, Jack (COREY STOLL), she manages to land them jobs while also starting to feel for their plight. When word comes that Theo (FEMI OGUNS) may have arrived in their former camp, all of them do what they can to try to get him to the States as well.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If the subject matter and historical backdrop interests them, they might. But unless that's the case or they're a fan of Reese Witherspoon, it doesn't seem too likely.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For thematic elements, some violence, brief strong language and drug use.

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