The Good Lie is a 2014 drama film written by Margaret Nagle and directed by Philippe Falardeau. The film stars Reese Witherspoon in the lead role, alongside Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany, Emmanuel Jal, and Corey Stoll.
The Good Lie was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival before being released on October 3, 2014. Another major screening was held by the Greenwich International Film Festival on October 22, 2014, for the benefit of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
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Plot
During the Second Sudanese Civil War, siblings Mamere, Paul, Jeremiah, Theo, Daniel, and Abital escape after their family is killed and village destroyed. After three months of walking in the wilderness, they join a group of refugees but have to leave after they are caught by soldiers and many people are killed. After sleeping in the grassland, Mamere gets spotted by two soldiers. Theo quickly hides the siblings in the grass and comes out, claiming to be alone, before he is taken in to custody by the soldiers. The group eventually arrives at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where Daniel succumbs to an illness and dies. Thirteen years later, among the thousands in the camp, the siblings are accepted for relocation to the United States.
On arrival in New York City, Abital is unexpectedly told that she is to leave for Boston where a family awaits, as she is only blood related to one of her brothers. As their sister tearfully leaves, Jeremiah, Mamere, and Paul board the flight to Kansas City and meet Carrie Davis, a brash employment counselor who helps them find jobs, and Pamela, who provides them with their house and support. Carrie introduces the brothers to Jack, a ranch owner who looks after his father's ranch, which amazes the brothers. Jeremiah teaches Sunday school at a local church and works at a grocery store, but later quits when he's caught giving old food to a homeless person rather than throwing it away as he was told to. Paul works at a factory and makes friends with his co-workers, where he is exposed to drugs due to their initial jealousy of his skills. Mamere takes two jobs at a store and as a security guard to pay for his aspiration to become a medical doctor. Initially rude, Carrie learns more about their situation and begins to warm up to the brothers. Paul eventually loses his job when the factory replaces him with automated machines. Frustrated with his sister not being with them, Paul destroys a public phone and gets arrested. After being bailed out by Carrie, Paul and Mamere get into a fight, with Paul blaming Mamere for getting Theo caught by the soldiers. Eventually, Mamere and Paul reconcile at Jack's ranch. During Christmas, Carrie arranges with the agency to get Abital back to reunite with the brothers.
