Why Secondhand Lions ( 2003 ) Is About Action And Adventure

Many believe that Secondhand Lions (2003) is about action and adventure, but the essence of the film lies deeper. It is a coming-of-age movie written and directed by Tim McCanlies. The movie is about an adolescent boy named Walter, who develops trust over the course of a summer. Walter’s irresponsible mother, Mae, leaves him with his two great-uncles who resurfaced in Texas after forty years of adventuring through Africa. The acting, mise-en-scene and cinematography presented in the three images I have chosen are central to the essence of the film. The discourse of these images reveals how the theme of trust develops throughout the story. The acting in Image 1 is critical to the theme of trust. This image, which shows Walter having a conversation with his mother, appears at the beginning of the film. Walter’s uncomfortable facial expression is the focus of this image. His face may be interpreted as disgust or concern as he is reacting to his mother’s words. His m other, Mae, tells him that he will be spending the summer with his two great-uncles, whom he has never met before. She is not looking at Walter, possibly dismissing his objection. Image 1 shows that Walter doesn’t trust his mother, but his lack of faith extends further than just his mother. Shortly after this image, she says, â€Å"Walter, you are just going to have to learn how to trust people,† which solidifies that Walter has difficulty confiding in others. Walter’s expression in Image 1 primarily serves to establish