Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog (dropping the Millionaire because I don't feel like typing it twenty more times) is the story of two brothers, Jamal and Prem, who grow up in the slums of Mumbai (or Bombay, depending on the time period). They witness riots over religion, they find out how to survive as poor children, and Jamal discovers love at first sight. All of this is told through flashbacks as Jamal is questioned about how he could possibly know all the answers to Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He's down to final question and he's in between shows. So we watch each question and then it flashes back to how an uneducated "slumdog" knew the answers. I thought this was a decently clever way to tell a story, even though I thought it sounded kind of cheesy when I read about it. It works and it builds suspense and tension throughout. Jamal becomes likable through all this and I was interested in his story.

Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Sunshine) directs this in his usual style. Things are frantic at times, music seems perfect for each scene (M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" is used better in this than in the Pineapple Express trailer), and he creates a number of impressive shots, such as the scene with Jamal and Prem overlooking Mumbai. I really won't mind if he wins Best Director, he deserves it for past films and this one is worthy of the award as well, even though the same could be said for David Fincher.But is this the best film of 2008? I say no. Actually, it's not in my personal top ten for the year (I might write up my top ten in a few weeks, once I've been able to see more 2008 movies). But I am not surprised it's nominated. There's a feel good quality to this film even though it covers some serious and depressing things. That's how audiences want their depictions of the poor areas of the world to be, though. Don't make us feel miserable or guilty, show us the misery and then show that it's all okay, anyway. That's all well and good, but I don't think that message makes this film rise above the likes of Benjamin Button or The Wrestler. Personally, I prefer City of God when it comes to what slum life can be like. City of God is more entertaining as well, so I'd suggest that over Slumdog any day of the week. So that's Slumdog, misery and poverty wrapped up with a feel-good bow on top. So give it the awards, as long as Boyle gets his for Directing, I'm okay with it. Not happy, but worse films have won (Crash, Chicago, Shakespeare in Love...). Just to reiterate, this is a good, entertaining film, I just think it's overrated.

Eric Harris - www.canneltoncritic.com

Slumdog Millionaire Review

I realize that a movie that is hyped up can seem better or be  disappointing. I had very high expectations for this movie, and they  were met. That also increased the positivity of my opinion towards this  film. So, I wanted to let you know that my opinion should be decreased a  little bit. I loved The Dark Knight when it came out. I watched it  again about a month ago, and it was good/great, but not a “masterpiece”  like I called it. Anyway, take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

I am not really sure how to describe Slumdog Millionaire. Essentially it is an orgy of colors, emotion, and a strong and consistent beauty. The entire film, story, image, and music (partially made by M.I.A.), is gorgeous. The sheer power of its entirety envelops everything inside. Over and over, I associate beauty with Slumdog Millionaire.

Jamal is on India’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. He makes it far into the show, and he is suspected of cheating. His life is key to the answers; each question flashes back  to the moment where he acquired the information (By the way, this is one of the most clever storytelling mechanisms I have ever seen). Along the way, he survives with his brother Salim, and the love of his life,  Latika. Among this lay details and subplots galore. Really, you have to see this a second time.

The story is very hopeful and ultimately uplifting. I was smiling for the last 5 to 10 minutes of the  movie, along with walking out and discussing it. My eyes actually got a little watery at the end. Over and over again, scenes create a happipalooza. One genius scene shows Jamal and Salim roll down a hill, and when they get up, they are four years older. On the other side of  the spectrum, some parts made me ache. Don’t take that wrongly, the  aching was intentional. The existence of life and love is shown to be  both beautiful and easily destroyed.

As I have said before, I have virtually no knowledge of directing or cinematography.  Something I do know is that the semi-stop motion segments are terrific.  Lots of from down to up shots set up scenes that made me desperately want to stand up and cheer. Sometimes a boy really wants an autograph. I don’t know if Indian filmmaking is what inspired those shots, but regardless, Danny Boyle did a great job. I haven’t seen so many…unique  (is that the right word?) angles fit together so well. Ever (Please take  that statement with a grain of salt). Even the subtitles are colorful and in creative spots. In most cases, they would be the same color in  the same place for the entire time. The execution of the film in its whole is super; I now understand all of the buzz surrounding Slumdog Millionaire.

Similar to Milk, there is  little to no error in this movie. Sometimes the accents are a little hard to understand. Not much can be done to avoid that. Without it the  movie may have seemed unrealistic. For such a small budget and no widely known actors, Slumdog Millionaire definitely does become a millionaire.

I feel that the  positives and overall amazingness of  Slumdog Millionaire cancel out the tiny blemishes. The value of human life, and the means that Jamal had to go through to reach his love is  much more than the sum of its parts. Forrest Gump is the only other movie that made me feel this good. Perhaps I may look back and be ashamed of this review, but at the moment, I love this movie. I love the  love, the creativity, the humor, the power, and the ultimate joy both shown and created. See it, because, it is written that Slumdog Millionaire deserves Best Picture.

5/5

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Last updated: 2010-04-10 23:00:24 by user01

Poverty Porn or Movie Going Riches?

Though I have no intentions of reviewing many pornography flicks on Name In Lights, some may say that I’m doing just that by putting my two cents worth in on Slumdog Millionaire.


Dubbed “poverty porn” by many Indian protesters, and sparking controversy over everything from the depiction of India’s economic state, to the film’s title, this is one Oscar contender that has been hard to ignore.

With all of the hype surrounding the film, and director Danny Boyle, it has been tough to turn a blind eye to the impact it has made on film enthusiasts.

Whether you are a fan, or you agree with the protests, one cannot ignore the engaging nature of this unexpected film about the slums of India.

The screenplay, written by Simon Beaufoy, takes the viewer through an interwoven story of past and present. As the plot is pushed along by the infamous “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire” game show, the life of Jamal Malik, played by actor Dev Patel, unfolds with each new trivia question.

A cast of talented unknowns brings to life the age-old quests for love and money, the hope in a greater destiny, and an urgent determination to survive. With an innovative soundtrack, and a gritty look at the landscape of India, Slumdog Millionaire is a refreshing standout and a great example of storytelling done right.

Though the film has bits of humor and rays of happiness, for the most part viewers can expect a dirty and often disturbing tale of life in the slums.

If watching a movie about rainbows and lollipops is what you’re after, walk right on by this selection. But, if you want a movie that will make you go hmmmm, Slumdog Millionaire is it.

I give this film 5/5 Light Bulbs, and that doesn’t happen too often!

Recommendations: Wizard of Oz

Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008)

**½
UK

Life in the slums of Mumbai is a video clip, the citizens of Mumbai communicate in expository dialogue and when Dev Patel tenses up his face in an expression that uncannily resembles other, lesser actors struggling to disguise their self-consciousness at being asked to emote before a camera and a 20+ person crew, it’s merely a sign of his time- [and logic-]defying love for an orphan that has blossomed into the face of Estee Lauder.

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Slumdog Millionaire

Drama, 2008 (Rated R)
Starring: Dev Patel, Frieda Pinto

Rundown: A boy accused of cheating his way to the top of the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire recounts incidents in his life upon questioning by the police that revealed the answers to the questions presented on the show. Somehow his life of poverty in India provided him the knowledge needed to progress to the big money rounds of the show.

• This movie was a pure joy from start to finish.
• I kind of "slept" on this one. I'd heard a lot of great things about it but it took me a long time to get around to watching it. Too long.
• There is a fabulous love story woven into the plot.
• My eyes and my attention were glued to the screen, especially at the end.
• This movie had me literally jumping for joy, shouting and crying. I'm actually glad I watched this DVD at home so I could let loose.

5 STARS

Just Me

Last updated: 2010-03-14 00:18:26 by user05

Slumdog Millionaire

I give the movie: 4.0/5

This movie is truly an energetic triumph - from is brilliant pulsating score, to its breathtaking and colourful visuals of the slums of India - if Oscar was based on audience's votes, this film will surely win Best Picture (hey, it just might, after sweeping the Golden Globes and SAG awards).

Fundamentally a love story, the thrilling plot also revolves around the boy's historic win on India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. Did he cheat? Is he a genius? How did he get to know all the answers?

Let this fascinating movie enchant you and you'll find the answers (and perhaps, love) along the way.

FINAL SAY
I want to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to see which is better. But currently, this movie is my million-dollar bet for Best Picture (figure of speech, people).

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Wilson Ng - http://wilsoniscurious.blogspot.com/

Last updated: 2010-03-14 04:55:21 by wilsoniscurious

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle is one of the best filmmakers working today and the variety of cinema that he has brought to us is quite impressive if you look at his solid career as a whole. He hits on all cylinders and touches on many different genre aspects with Slumdog Millionaire - A movie that mixed the horrors of violence, poverty, and street culture, with a story about childhood and love, and all done with an artistic visual style all its own.

Recommendations: High Plains Drifter , Dalkomhan insaeng , Dial M for Murder

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Jai Ho! Is there anyone out there who can’t think of this movie without having Jai Ho! immediately play in their heads? Anyone please correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE may hold the title as the most awarded film in history worldwide. At least the decade. I can’t think of a single award this movie didn’t win.  And you know what? deservedly so.  I could be a cynic and say that the movie was deliberately constructed in such way, and with the *awww* cutest cast, in the most *how horrible! I wanna hug them!* situations, just so that it would tug at your heartstrings, before the big, bright, happy ending lifted your spirit, and had you feeling good about the world. But it wasn’t. It just so happen that you felt that way while watching it, and with everything happening in the world, this underdog story of hardship with the big, bright, happy ending was exactly what the world needed. One more time: Jay Ho!

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Slumdog Millionaire

The Malaysian government may not have the cojones to put Slumdog Millionaire in theatres but Limewire sure does!



Slumdog Millionaire baby! If you had a childrens version of Cidade de Deus, you'll get Slumdog. It's a movie about a guy named Jamal Malik, who practically has the worst life ever. His life sucks. He saw his mom killed in front of him by anti-Muslim zealots, almost had his eyes plucked out a few months later and has a gangster for a brother who sold the love of his life into prostitution. So to try and get her to notice him, Jamal goes on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and because of the events of his life......... he knows all the answers.



This is my first Bollywood movie and it was awesome! Besides the fact that I thought it was really stupid that he knew all the answers, I felt that Slumdog Millionaire was brilliant. It just makes you fall in love with it with the story of the main character but at the same time, it rips your heart out when you see all this shitty stuff happen to him. It's really brutal to watch but charming at the same time.



This movie is really fun to watch. Even teens who can't take all these art films would be entertained because of the modern-tempo direction of this film has. And this movie used the hell out of M.I.A's Paper Plane song. They played it over and over.



Anyways, Slumdog was fun to watch. We see lots of great moments like when he's trying to get an autograph from a Bollywood star, pretending to be a tour guide at the Taj Mahal to earn money and steal tourist's shoes to when theres a riot going on and people were dying. I mean, this film goes from very sweet and funny to very tragic at the same time.


And also very gross to. There's a scene where Jamal practically dives into a pile of shit. On one hand, your stomach will churn just like it did when you saw 2 Girls 1 Cup but you will still laugh your ass off.



It's a really well made movie, I enjoyed the hell out of it. And rightly so, it's been generating a lot of unlikely Oscar buzz. And, just like all Bollywood movies, they end with a dance sequence. By far, Slumdog is my 3rd best film of 2008. Number 1 is obviously The Dark Knight and Number 2's review is coming real soon.

RATING: 8/10

NicholasC

Slumdog Millionaire

In a Danny Boyle movie you focus on who’s running. Picture Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting, hurtling down a high-street. Or Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later, outpacing the dead. Slumdog Millionaire – Boyle’s latest – starts with a posse of Indian boys running. They’re trying to escape security guards in the story, but the real reason they run is: for the rush. As the drums beat on the soundtrack, you feel it. The rush. Velocity. Not only of the boys, but of their country. The reason Boyle seems born again as a director on this movie is because India today is sprinting. You want to know what becoming a global superpower feels like? Run!

A child of Mumbai’s slums gets all the way to the final question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Fate has brought him to this point, but the Indian police think he’s cheating. The kid from the slums is called Jamal Malik. He’s in love with a girl called Latika. He tells the police (in a line you have to love if you love movies): “I went on the show because I thought she’d be watching.” Because it’s Jamal’s destiny to win, every question he’s been asked has it’s answer in this girl (is this a joke on how “the girl” is cinema’s answer to everything?). He had her once and he lost her. He hasn’t come this far to lose again.

The set-up for Slumdog Millionaire allows for a lot of flashbacks. So to say one person plays Jamal would be incorrect. In the scenes set in the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? studio, a British actor named Dev Patel plays Jamal. And he’s good. You feel his devotion. But for me, the real Jamal is the kid who plays him as a six year old, the one who wades through shit to get a movie star’s autograph. This scene takes some explaining, but – what the hell. As boys, Jamal and his older brother Salim make money maintaining a toilet. The toilet is a little more than a wooden shack with a hole in the floor, but working men pay to use it. One day, because Jamal is using the toilet and… having trouble, Salim is forced to turn away a customer. Irate, Salim locks Jamal in just as a private helicopter flies overhead. A roar goes up from the people outside. Jamal realises his favourite movie star is onboard the helicopter! But the door is locked. The only way out is through the hole. So Jamal drops – and emerges brown. I have never seen a scene like this in movies, but it’s undoubtedly at this point that that shit-caked boy becomes a hero.

Reader, I met Danny Boyle. And he’s a whirligig, a source of perpetual motion. If you ever wondered: why the running? It’s because Danny Boyle movies have Danny Boyle’s heartbeat. The real wonder is how he stayed in Britain so long. Britain, where people treat enthusiasm is like syphilis. India has reawakened Danny Boyle. At the talk I attended, he spoke of finding his ideal child actors – and how they only spoke Hindi. Which meant a third of his movie would have to be in Hindi (a move the film studio greeted with “a chasm of silence”). But he did it anyway. The way he makes all his unabashed best decisions. Everything that makes Slumdog Millionaire work comes down to this: a willingness to risk. As the closing credits roll, the cast dance as if they were in a Bollywood musical. Why do it? Risk!

India today is where America was a century ago. That’s the real story of Slumdog Millionaire. Jamal Malik could be a Jack London character. He’s got the same resilience, the same honest heart. Can audiences in the West accept our time is over? (I’m British, so knowing my time has passed is second nature for me.) Oh, come on. You see how these kids run. They move like they’re tethered to the future. And they’re the poor kids of the Subcontinent! What propels them – what propels the movie – is the filthy, glorious momentum of life, that thing which we who live in the wreckage call: progress! It isn’t sleek or clean or modern to look at, but don’t mistake it for catastrophe. Like Jamal, you can trust where it’s headed.

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Slumdog Millonaire

Now back to a life affirming and joyous crowd pleaser that reminded of the films of old that were brash and larger than life. It is no surprise that this won Best Picture at the Oscars. This is that old Hollywood magic movie that tells an underdog story with color and poise. It is a very energetic and moving film that has a lot of dark moments but will make your heart soar at the end. The actors playing the children give wonderul, exciting and mature performances. Dev Patel gives us a hero we can cheer for and makes a great first impression, Freida Pinto is beautiful and Anil Kapoor is wonderfully slimy as the game show host. What might make it a future classic is it's willingless to tell a larger than life story that appeals to all ages. It has been compared to a Dickens type of classic story and I would have to agree with that.

Vincent Snavely

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008)

BOTTOM LINE: This classic rags-to-riches tale accomplishes the feat of not only telling a great story of triumph over adversity but manages to open your eyes to a part of the world that is hardly ever covered in a Hollywood film besides clichés; no wonder the Academy gave it the Best Picture Oscar.

THE GOOD: “Slumdog Millionaire” works on many levels, least of which being the theme of destiny. Juxtaposing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for lead character Jamal (Dev Patel) to play the game show ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ with his tumultuous life story of where he grew up in the slums of Mumbai India is a rich and powerful tale of triumph over adversity. Jamal only wants to be with his true love Latika (Freida Pinto). To find her, he manages to get himself on to the game show for the sole purpose that she will see him and contact him. As fate would have it, Jamal knows the answers to all the questions through the random events that have occurred to him. Jamal does not know who is on the one thousand rupee note but he does know who is on the US hundred dollar bill because a blind boy who was made blind in order to become a beggar tells Jamal who it is, a fate Jamal barely escaped himself. Game show host Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor) calls in the police on suspicions that Jamal is cheating (after all, how can a slumdog know anything). As the police question him, Jamal tells his life story and in so doing, gives detailed accounts of specific incidents which directly relate to how he knew the answer to each and every question he was asked on the show. This story is harrowing, particularly in the telling of Jamal’s life as a child. For example, he knows what the God Rama is holding in his hand because when anti-Muslim violence breaks out in his slum and his mother is violently killed, he sees a child dressed as Rama as he escapes. Watching all these incidents unfold through dramatic flashbacks and cross-cutting, we learn that Jamal’s destiny was to succeed in winning the game show, thereby allowing him to rise up out of the slums and live the dream of riches, with the entire country watching on in awe. The film is inspiring, sometimes brutal and ultimately moving without ever becoming corny or sentimental, even when Jamal realises his destiny and gets the girl. Director Danny Boyle takes a classically archetypal storyline and transposes it in to a culture that is barely covered outside of stereotypes in Hollywood, crafting a brilliant piece of cinema that not only plays to the rags-to-riches story it tells but opens your eyes to another culture and world that many in Western nations may not necessarily have any understanding of. “Slumdog Millionaire” is perhaps deservedly the winner of the Best Picture Oscar, simply for working in metaphors, showing a different side of the world, and doing it on a very modest budget while delivering some powerful visuals and storytelling.

THE BAD: The world ‘slumdog’ is in the title for a reason; if you do not have an affinity for watching films set in desolate and third world conditions then this film is definitely not for you. The only other issue with the film is that the musical soundtrack at times feels like its belting you over the head with an incessant heavy drum beat and heavy overtones that are inspired by Indian music. What we are watching is dramatic enough; to have that music blast its way through the experience is almost too much, particularly in the harsher scenes.

RATING: 8.5/10

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Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle’s latest is about a young Muslim kid named Jamal Malik.  Needless to say, I really liked this movie.  What, you want to know what it’s about?  Sigh…

This is really a movie you need to see to fully appreciate how it’s done, but Slumdog Millionaire frames a large part of its story around one of the biggest fads of recent memory, the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?  Even within the context of a fictional story, it was amusing to be reminded of why this show was such a huge smash hit, and how the show’s use of dramatic tension fits so perfectly into a piece of cinematic storytelling. 

One of the other great pop culture pieces this movie uses is the story of the Three Musketeers.  I’ve been part of a few ‘trios’ in my own lifetime, and could tell you certain key elements of the Three Musketeers story, but not all of them.  There must be a lot of people like me, because Slumdog Millionaire plays this knowledge to full effect. 

All in all, PROPS from me for a good crowd pleasing movie that doesn’t get too Hollywood (or is it Bollywood?) until the very end.

Last updated: 2010-01-18 14:31:33 by malikaziz

Slumdog Millionaire

Adapted from a novel, It begins with Jamal Malik, an uneducated man from the gutters of Mumbai, being tortured by a policeman because he was suspected of cheating in the Indian version of the famous game show, ‘Who Wants To Be a Millionaire’. The film reveals Jamal’s life story as he gives explanation for his answers in a series of flashbacks.

Slumdog Millionaire is a touching film, at the same time a little disturbing. I was sitting comfortably at home, having a bowl of cereal while watching a slum kid got blinded by a gangster who uses spoon to gouge out his eye to turn him into a blind singer-beggar so that he could earn more money. I couldn’t continue with my cereal.

Watching the lives of those kids makes me feel somehow guilty of my own life. I know it’s just a film but I believe young Jamal’s life represents thousands of slum kids’ situation. It reminds me of my hometown, Jakarta, where there are heaps of beggars; kids, disabled, etc. I begin to wonder if they went through such torment.

Apart from that, I have to point out one apparent mistake. In the movie Latika, the love of Jamal’s life, rushes to answer the phone when she realises Jamal uses his Phone-A-Friend lifeline to call his brother who had just given his cell phone to her. In reality, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is not a live telecast, so Latika wouldn’t have known Jamal was making that phone call.

The mistake is pardonable because this movie is after all a 21st century fairytale. It is a true celebration of life; how beautifully each scene stacks up, the emotion stirs within the audience, etc. Every adult deserves to watch this.

Mel says: 8.4/10

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Slumdog Millionaire

It is always in style to root for the underdog. Just yesterday, I watched Super Bowl XLIII and cheered for the Arizona Cardinals the whole way through. When the underdog loses, like the Cardinals did, it is never as disappointing as if the favorite loses. Most people just acknowledge that hey, that's why they were underdogs. But when the unlikely party pulls through and shocks everyone, like the Giants in last years Super Bowl, there is an undescribable feeling that takes over, leaving a permament smile on your face and a temporary flutter on your heartbeat. This years Best Picture favorite Slumdog Millionaire is perhaps the greatest individual underdog story ever told, and (sorry Dark Knight) the best movie of 2008 (that I've seen). The story follows Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an uneducated young man who grew up in the slums of Mumbai. Jamal is a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and is one question away from winning the top prize of 20,000,000 Rupees. The show's host Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor) is not convinced that this boy from the slums could really know all the answers and secretly has him arrested under suspicion of cheating. During his brutal interrogation, Jamal tells the Police Sergeant (Irrfan Khan) the story of his life, and how his tumultuous relationship with his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) and his unwavering love for the beautiful Latika (Freida Pinto) taught him all that he knows. Although devoid of caped crusaders and villains in war paint, Slumdog Millionaire is a different kind of hero story that gets my vote for Best Picture.

Believe it or not, Slumdog Millionaire was at one point meant to be a straight to DVD release. If that had happened, the Academy would have had to create a new "Best Straight to DVD Movie Ever Made" category so this movie could win. Initially when I left the movie theater after watching this film, I didn't think it was as great as I do now. But last night, as I lay restless from the heart pumping Super Bowl, I had time to think about the movie more in depth. By the time morning rolled around, I came to the conclusion that Slumdog Millionaire was in fact a fantastic achievement in modern cinema. Danny Boyle, director of such films as Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, and Sunshine, was the man behind the camera for this film, and I'm afraid my limited vocabulary won't be enough to praise his work. What must be acknowledged first is how he captured the heart breaking every day lives of regular people who unfortunately live in delapidated slums. Living in a world where the police will neglect to intervene an attack even after they see a man on fire is just one of the injustices that must be dealt with in these areas. Not to mention the living conditions which can only be described as pits of squalor. An aerial shot of miles of tin roofs is a disheartening reminder that there are not just a few people subjected to these conditions. Boyle brings these truths to the screen in such a way that no human can turn a blind eye to these facts anymore. I would love to take some of the heartless people from my school to see this movie and try to show them what spoiled and ignorant brats they are. Slumdog Millionaire never loses credibility thanks to Boyle's magnificent directing. He effectively mixes past and present tense without turning the movie into a disjointed mess. Credit should also not be taken from writer Simon Beaufoy, whose screenplay is perfect and never hits a sour note. The collaboration between Beaufoy and Boyle makes every moment of Slumdog Millionaire one to be remembered.

But an underdog story isn't truly great until you have a good underdog to root for. It is here where Dev Patel, Ayush Khedekar, and Tanay Chheda rise to the occasion. Each actor portrays the slumdog Jamal Malik at different ages and each find a way to grab at your heart. While Patel is the oldest and is receiving most of the noteriety surrounding Slumdog Millionaire, it is Khedekar, who played the youngest Jamal, that I was most intrigued by. I am not often impressed with child actors, but Khedekar is a bright exception. He accomplishes a feat that not many professional adult actors have the ability to pull of convincingly: emotions. Khedekar displays a wide range of emotions from excitement to sadness, and love to anger. He and co-star Rubiana Ali (youngest Latika) bring more romantic chemistry to the screen than quite a few professional stars (Katherine Heigl and James Marsden in 27 Dresses, Dane Cook and Jessica Alba in Good Luck Chuck, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley in all three Pirates of the Caribbean films). Patel is merely the icing on the cake, drawing the viewer in with an innocent face and a sterling performance.

As I mentioned earlier, the appeal of Slumdog Millionaire lies in it's brilliant underdog tale. It is unknown whether or not this film will be considered truly great in the future, but for now, one thing is for certain. Slumdog Millionaire is an outstanding achievement in entertainment and regardless of whether you prefer summer blockbusters over Oscar contenders, you will like this movie. If you are worried that 20% of the film is spoken in Hindi and you won't enjoy reading the subtitles, Danny Boyle has you covered. Rather than just put the words up on the screen, he masterfully finds a visually beautiful way to keep you in the loop. At a reasonably quick two hours, you won't ever feel let down by Slumdog Millionaire, I guarantee it. My rating (10/10)

P.S. - Stay during the credits for an amazing choreographed dance sequence involving every member of the cast.

Last updated: 2009-08-07 23:31:07 by popcornaday

Slumdog Millionaire

When the awards season rolled around last year, this film really cleaned up. When one picture ends up winning all those awards, my interest is piqued. After sitting down and watching it this afternoon, I have to say that all the accolades are more than well deserved.
It may be hard to believe, but 10 years ago Regis Philbin and ABC debuted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which reignited America’s love affair with game shows. Since then, …Millionairehas gone on to become a worldwide smash. I seriously thought about auditioning on more than once occasion, but never managed to do so. However, Jamal Malik, played by Dev Patel, somehow end up on the Indian version of the show. The thing about it is that he didn’t go on the show for the money, but rather for the chance to impress and get the attention of childhood friend/sweetheart Latika, played by Freida Pinto.
This picture can be a bit confusing if you’re not paying complete attention. I know that I was a bit lost with all the excessive flashbacks, but I was able to catch up. The flashbacks set things up very nicely and give us some insight and backstory to Jamal and how he ended up in the hot seat, not to mention there is a nice subplot involving a conspiracy that he was a fraud which leads to him being arrested (and beaten and tortured), then questioned, which leads us to his flashing back and explaining things about his life before answering each question.
The relationship between the brothers Jamal and Salim is quite the intrsting one, especially when you see the things that Salim does to Jamal, including seeing an autograph that he had to crawl in feces to get out of a outhose for, being responsible for Latika not escaping to the train, becoming a hitman for a gang boss, etc. His actions make him highly unlikable, so it is no surprise that they didn’t talk for quite some time and Jamal does not forgive him.
There are’t too many things wrong with this film. The flashbacks are hit or miss. In my opinion, they work, but could have been set up better, especially the earlier ones. THe big problem is the subtitles. I know you’re wondering what is wrong with the subtitles. well, they are a bit on the small side and the colored background makes them hard to see. Yeah, that’s just nitpicky stuff, but Hindu isn’t exactly a universal language, so in scenes where they speak it (and any other foreign dialect).
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you know that I don’t normally go for these “artsy-fartsy” films. Having said that, this wasn’t bad. Now, it didn’t inspire me to go out and buy the DVD or anything like that, but it was a good watch. The ending dance to “Jai Ho” was really entertaining. Don’t forget to check it out during the credits.  I’m not into this genre, but I know a good movie when I see it, and this is one of those that you shouldn’t go without seeing at some point in your lifetime.

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