Has a few almost first-rate pleasures.
Secondhand Lions (2003)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:131
Fresh:79
Rotten:52
Average Rating:6.1/10
Consensus: A wholesome but schmaltzy movie.
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Genre: Childrens
US 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
Reviews for Secondhand Lions
There's not one moment in Secondhand Lions that feels genuine or heartfelt.
Lions takes its cue from Garth, and it loves the colorful details of a story a little too much.
The movie to flunk a crucial test: 'If I saw this on TV, would it involve the word Hallmark in any way?'
Despite a star-studded cast and healthy helpings of sentiment, nostalgia and heart, it's a hollow affair that's content to tell the viewer how to feel rather than earning those feelings through its story and performances.
The whole thing's just not funny enough for children. And it's far too sad for adults.
An air of contrivance and, worse, fraudulence, hangs over this gentle fantasy, despite some charming moments.
Even without handicapping for the limitations of its gentle genre, the film has moments of whimsical humor and thoughtful plotting that soar tantalizingly close to something that could be enjoyed on its own merits.
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.
It is entertaining enough, yet it seems awkward and stilted at times. Other times, it is totally loopy.
One of those headed-for-cable oddities that must have sounded like a good idea at the time.
You'll leave the theater wanting to call your grandparents just to say hello.
Secondhand Lions is not a great movie, but you'd have to be an old coot not to like it at least a bit.
Secondhand Lions tries to delight, but its charms are no more credible than the swashbuckling adventure that Caine's character recounts.
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..." ![]()
More...
More Movies
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 89% 89% | Up in the Air | 14/1 |
| | The Tooth Fairy | 14/1 |
| | Bran Nue Dae | 14/1 |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Secondhand Lions at Rotten Tomatoes
- Secondhand Lions at IGN
- Secondhand Lions at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!
Competitions

We're giving away copies of Judd Apatow's latest.



Top Critic


