I added our Netflix list of movies (to the right) in hopes of writing short movie reviews once we watched them. I imagined everyone waiting in anticipation for my witty and insightful comments on each of the movies. Well, we have been so incredibly busy lately, that we have not watched very many movies on our Netflix list, but we did catch God Grew Tired of Us several weeks ago. The movie was recommended by Emily who spent a year in Sudan. In the 90's, the northern Sudan Muslim government began killing all boys in the "Christian" southern Sudan, causing a mass exodus of young boys from the country. The US Government allowed many of these boys to re-settle in the states. The documentary follows several such "Lost Boys" from their time in a Kenyan refugee camp to their placement in and discovery of America.
Although the story has a tragic beginning and a very serious, thought-provoking message throughout, it was not as sad or depressing as I thought it would be. There are tons of humorous moments in the movie as the boys try to acclimate to living in our country. I was amazed at all of the little things they needed to learn just to live on their own in an apartment, such as how a shower works, what chips are, how to throw the trash away and, very important, how an alarm clock works - because you cannot be late to work. It makes you feel a little ignorant about how other people live around the world. Unless you already knew that some Africans just throw their trash out the window, then I guess it just makes me feel ignorant.
The most amazing part of the story is the hearts of these boys/men and their love and care for each other and the other Lost Boys still in Africa. Even though they had to completely change their lifestyle in order to "fit in" in America, they were completely grateful the entire time. And they often mourned the fact that the rest of their family could not be with them.
It is a wonderful documentary and I highly recommend it for adults and older children.
1 comment:
I am so boring and main stream. My list would probably be something like: Maid of Honor, Little Miss Sunshine and something with Will Ferrell or Adam Sandler.
Maybe I will copy your list and broaden my horizons! Thanks for sharing.
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