The Good Lie

Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon stars as a smart ‘n' sassy employment agency counselor who is assigned to find jobs for three of the Lost Boys of Sudan after they arrive in the United States. The trio are among the legions of orphaned children who walked nearly a thousand miles, lacking food or shelter, to escape the civil war in sub-Saharan Africa in 1983. The prologue introduces six youngsters, survivors of a brutal massacre of their village. Because their parents were killed, the boys join together, making their way to a refugee camp in Kenya. Miraculously, Mamere (Arnold Oceng), Jeremiah (Ger Duany), Paul (Emmanuel Jal), and Mamere's sister Abital (Kuoth Weil) would endure. After spending 13 years in the Kakuma refugee camp, the three young men are dispatched to Kansas City, while Abital is sent to live with a foster family in Boston. Scared and distraught over the idea of being separated, they're met at the airport by feisty Carrie Davis (Witherspoon), who realizes that she has to teach them basic technology: how to work light switches, electrical appliances, and the telephone. Only with her help can they acclimate to this challenging, often bewildering new culture—and her life, too, will inevitably be changed. Directed by Philippe Falardeau, this is an inspiring and redemptive tale of courage and compassion. Recommended. [Note: Blu-ray/DVD Combo extras include “The Good Lie Journey” behind-the-scenes featurette (16 min.), deleted scenes (15 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an engaging film.] (S. Granger)