Slumdog Millionaire
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Movie Reviews of Slumdog Millionaire
Movie Review: A Rousing, Thrilling, and Exhilerating Film
Summary: 5 Stars
A mix of kinetic energy, an undertow of suspense, and a dash of Dicken's, Slumdog Millionare has become the breakout indie hit of the year. I was drawn to the film after its win at the Golden Globes and after viewing it, I can see why there is so much fuss over it.
The story is a familiar one, abliet with a refreshed, updated feel. Young Jamal has become an overnight sensation after his amazing streak on India's "Who Want To Be a Millionare?". With just one more question left to win big, the question on everyones mind is, how on earth did this kid from the slums, with no formal education, stable living conditions, and answering questions that have stumped dozens of contestents before. Slowly, we are taken back in time and shown Jamal's life, as each question he is asked pretains to a certain event in his life. All the while, he hopes to find the love he lost long ago, and maybe even come on top.
The film literally crackles with intensity. The locations are awashed in a bright gold color, the camera is fast and moving (though no so much to make you dizzy), and the music is so lively and kinetic that it's almost like your actually in the movie with these characters, with Danny Boyle being the main person involved in this, injecting so much life and vibrancy that the film just pops off the screen. He also manages to equally balance the drama, humor, and tenderness of the screenplay without it coming off as to heavy handed.
All the cast members do great, and while there is no particular standout, they all equally play of each other and hold their own scenes, with no one being overshadowed or underplayed.
But what I really liked about the film was that (minor spoiler) unlike most other drama films, by the end of the film, you feel so happy and lifted that you just want to jump up and down as Jamal goes for the million dollars. I can't remember the last time a movie has actually made me grab my seat in suspense, baiting my breath, hoping and praying that Jamal actually wins it all and gets the girl. Plus, the Bollywood dance at the end was just so spectacular.
Slumdog Millionare is definintly one of the best films of 2008, and whether your a Bollywood fan, drama person, awards seeker, this is the film that has everything for everyone. You do not want to miss it, Slumdog really is that one film you can't miss.
Movie Review: This original film will evoke a schizophrenic mix of emotions like few others
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a beautiful film. It uses the program 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' as a metaphor to tell the life of an Indian boy born into the shantytowns of Mumbai.
The film does a good job in portraying the poverty of these places, although some who know of this poverty may say it does not go far enough. However, even in this poverty the film provides a moment of emotional power where you are horrified, shocked but also hilariously amused when the boy meets his Bollywood actor idol.
There are also disturbing scenes where the boy, his brother and their friend are duped by a 'professional begging outfit'. If you ever see street children/adults in the Indian subcontinent again, you will never look on them in the same light.
The film also provides a wider critique of how these people are looked upon by the richer/more powerful classes. It also provides a powerful critique of 'modern India' which the trio inevitably get swept up in. Modern India seems to be more about superficial appearances rather than true development.
The film looks at India's class prejudices, communal violence, poverty and alleged modernisation. Some Indians, who are very patriotic, despise this film because of it. This is a shame because the film could be used as a springboard for the discussion of these issues. The film is not patronising to India, nor does it preach and it certainly does not practise escapism.
For me, the childhood actors really were the stars of the film. They did a fantastic job of maintaining their childhood exuberance despite all that was going on around them.
Ultimately, the film has a happy ending, but you may feel this happiness is tainted by what has gone on prior to that point.
p.s. I hope the child actors in this film are given a real opportunity to escape the poverty that they have come from, or otherwise the film makers are just as bad as those they portray in the film. From what I have read, they have not really made an attempt to bring the children out of poverty. I encourage people to write to the makers to register their opinions on this.
Movie Review: A Feel-Good Movie that is Smart Enough to Feel Bad Sometimes.
Summary: 5 Stars
"Slumdog Millionaire" is a bilingual British-Indian production based on the novel "Q & A" by Loveleen Tandan, which I understand has been modified considerably be screenwriter Simon Beaufoy. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is an 18-year-old tea-server originally from the slums of Mumbai. In an attempt to reach the woman he loves (Freida Pinto), he becomes a contestant on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". He gets so close to the grand prize of 20 million rupees that he is suspected of cheating and arrested. He tries to convince a jaded police inspector (Irfan Khan) that he really did know the answer to the questions by recounting the episodes in his life from which he learned them.
This is an optimistic romance that is coy about being either of those things most of the time. It generates a lot of energy but has a startling edge. The audience is hit full force with Jamal's violent life as a street child. Shifts back and forth in time, between Jamal's interrogation, his appearance on the show, and his recollections of years past can be jarring at first. But the frenetic energy of it all matches that of the slums and of life on the run for Jamal and his brother Salim. Irfan Khan can play any role, and he is terrific here as a detective whose patience is wearing thin but whose curiosity gets the better of him, even though he's not such a nice guy.
There have been a lot of sleazy characters in Jamal's life, and the film is populated with them. Jamal is the proverbial nice guy from the wrong side of the tracks who has been hindered by circumstances and unscrupulous people. Yet he is savvy and single-minded. His brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) is almost Jamal's alter-ego, a bully who chose a life of crime to get ahead. But he is equally savvy and single-minded, with a different value system. The love-hate relationship between the two men brings a lot of substance to the story. "Slumdog Millionaire"'s amalgamation of gritty reality, upbeat rhythms, and clichéd optimism make it a unique, enjoyable experience. In English and Hindi with subtitles that are part of the film, not superimposed.
Movie Review: I roll with the crowd on this one.
Summary: 5 Stars
In such a terrible year of movies, it's no wonder an independent film got all the rave. Why not, big business has caused films to lose all the elements that make the movie going public want to sit in a theater. No one knows how to tell a good story, put the right actors in the right role, and even know how to tug at the human emotions. Slumdog Millionaire on the other hand, did know what to do.
This film is the story of a boy named Jamal who came out of the slums of Mumbai India, to end up on the Indian version of the hit game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire...and he wins! Because of that he is thrust into the worst few hours of his life because he was accused of cheating. You'd like to think his spirit is being crushed, then the story begins, the story of how he knew each and every answer. Then as the story unfolds you are brought into a grand story of family, survival, betrayal and true love. The real heavy hitter is when the police find out exactly why Jamal got on that show and it really makes you wonder about your own life and what truly are treasures in our lives.
I was blown away by this movie for many different reasons. The acting, the story, the music...you name it was a cut above everything I had seen all year. This movie could not have been released in a better time. A time when we in America think we have it bad during a time of misfortune. It teaches us to really look deep inside and find what matters to us and not take things for granted. This movie should also teach the big movie companies a thing or two. I think it is time to stop figuring out how much money a movie can make and just put a great story on the screen. A good story is what will bring the crowds. I mean no offense to Heath Ledger, but when a role in a summer blockbuster based on a comic book is given an Oscar. It just shows you how the so called Oscar worthy movies has gone downhill.
*To redeem myself I thought that Heath Ledger was great in The Dark Knight and truly deserved it! It just shows you that there was not a single better performance in 2008 for a supporting role.
Movie Review: Beyond My Expectations
Summary: 5 Stars
I got around to watching Slumdog Millionaire rather late, having first thought that the Academy was just being kind to Bollywood in a slow year. I was wrong. Slumdog Millionaire is a very well done movie and deserved the Oscar for best picture and cinematography. Throughout the movie you are never really sure whether he is going to get the girl or the money. Both are certainly worth having.
Be aware that this movie is rated R for a reason. The main character is tortured by the police, his mother is killed during a violent rampage against Muslims, his brother becomes an assassin at an early age, and a ruthless organized crime gang intentionally blinds a young boy.
Slumdog is much more edgy than old school Bollywood films like Asoka or Lagaan. It also has better editing. It is not a romantic comedy like Bachna Ae Haseeno. There are no interspersed song and dance numbers throughout the movie. Slumdog has more action and graphic violence than Monsoon Wedding. But it's not quite as deep as Water. The original language is mostly English (not dubbed), so there is no need to read subtitles.
Classic Bollywood Epic: Asoka
Old school Bollywood: Lagaan - Once Upon a Time in India
My intro to Bollywood, recommended: Monsoon Wedding
Big romantic song and dance entertainment: Bachna Ae Haseeno - DVD
Excellent movie, recommended: Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
I also recommend this movie: Water