God Grew Tired of Us

Nicole Kidman narrates feel-good documentary on immigrants' American dream struggles

By Geoff Berkshire | Metromix

March 16, 2007

Some documentaries are so depressing—stark depictions of miserable lives and events—it's impossible to imagine them reaching a large audience. Despite the downbeat title, that's not the case with "God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan." The film strives so hard to be accessible, it winds up suffering the opposite problem: It risks oversimplifying the hardships faced by its memorable subjects.

With Nicole Kidman as its narrator, actors Brad Pitt, Catherine Keener and Dermot Mulroney among the raft of producers and National Geographic Films helping with distribution, the documentary doesn't lack big name supporters. Centered on a trio of Sudanese refugees who are able to immigrate to the U.S. with the help of the American government, the film touches on several worthy topics.

The three engaging men who were interviewed by the filmmakers over the course of four years suffered the brutality of Sudan's civil war in their youth, grew up in refugee camps in Kenya and throughout the film deal with the significant cultural adjustments of living in the U.S. Their initial awed response to supermarkets, airplane amenities and fitness ads on TV turns to mild disillusionment over a country in which people mostly keep to themselves and endless bills must be paid. Ultimately, the men make the most of their situation and are also able to help friends and family members back in Africa.

Inspiring audiences is a noble goal but, by only briefly touching on the horrors that are still occurring in Sudan, "God Grew Tired of Us" seems to be missing the larger point. The film stirs compassion, but lacks a sense of urgency. Through their interviews, these "lost boys" convey admirable nobility and shrewd insights into American life from an outsider's perspective. Too bad the film's portrait of their circumstances feels so superficial.