The Good Lie (2014)

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. Jeremiah teaches Sunday school at a local church and works at a grocery store, but later quits when he's caught giving recently expired 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. Abital receives an anonymous letter stating that someone entered the refugee camp in Kenya searching for the group. Thinking it is Theo, Mamere travels to Nairobi and searches the refugee camp after they tell him that Theo is not registered. After meeting James, an old friend, he asks him to find his brother. Due to complications with the program stemming from the 9/11 attacks, Mamere is required to ask for help from an African embassy on good terms with the US to acquire a passport and documents for Theo's potential return. Eventually, James is able to find Theo and reunites him with Mamere, and the two travel to the airport to go to the US. In the airport, Mamere reveals to Theo that he could not get him a passport and instead gives Theo his own passport - a deception that is the 'good lie'. Mamere bids his brother farewell and watches Theo's plane depart. Mamere calls Carrie and explains to her what he's done. Upon his arrival in the United States, Theo has a tearful reunion with his siblings; Mamere remains in Kenya, content he made the right decision.