LION [2016]

In director Garth Davis' adaptation of Saroo Brierley memoir, A Long Way Home, we follow the life a 5-year old Indian boy adopted by an Australian couple after he is lost in Calcutta.
The first half of Lion is easily it's strongest, with 8-year old newcomer Sunny Pawar carrying most of his scenes alone and without dialogue, leaving his expressions to tell the dramatic tale with honest finesse.  The second half of the film, following the boy in his young adult years, now played by marvelous Dev Patel, isn't as interesting, as most of the characters are too conventional but fortunately elevated with great performances all around.  It's finale is a bit dramatically manipulative but hit so closely to home for me it didn't matter and left me a blubbering mess.

4 watermelons out of 5