After the initial culture shock, they learn that they must find jobs within three months then repay the government for their airfare.  All begin jobs—sometimes two and, in one case, even three—and begin writing letters to the Red Cross asking about family members.  Soon, they discover how lonely life can be in this country, and how very hard people work just to stay alive.

The men are shocked that Americans must know one another in order to pay social calls, and they simply cannot understand why we ignore those who are upset in public.  They’re also perplexed by many of our traditions—particularly the ones that mix religion and paganism.  “What is this Santa Claus?” says John Bul, after making a similar comment about a Christmas tree.  “I do not understand.  Where is this in the Bible, and what does it have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ?”  

A particularly poignant scene occurs when John Bul is reunited with his mother.  She walks through airport security and collapses from joy at seeing her son after 17 years of separation.  Carrying a walking stick adorned with a cross, she then begins trilling a high-pitched song in her native language, as John Bul looks on with a mixture of joy and embarrassment.

The only downside to the film is that the relief efforts going on in this country and abroad were barely even mentioned.  Although a DVD extra mentions places to help, at least one or two interviews with these agencies would have been appropriate. 

Fortunately, all of the men carve out niches for themselves and even manage to attend college.  Two create non-profit foundations and one marries.

It’s easy to see why this documentary won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.  It certainly deserves widespread recognition.

AUDIENCE:  Adults and older children

DVD EXTRAS: 

• Commentary with Director
• "Finding the Lost Boys” featurette
• Theatrical Previews
• Take Action: suggestions for how to help

CAUTIONS:

• Drugs/Alcohol:  None.
• Language/Profanity:  None.
• Sexual Content/Nudity:  None.
• Violence:  Graphic discussions of genocide, including rape, pillage and mass murders (without images)
• Other:  Disturbing images of starving children being attacked by flies, as well as discussions about the long trek in which only 12,000 children of the 27,000 survived; the long-term effects that the war had on some of the Lost Boys; as well as their intense loneliness and grief at losing their families.