starring Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, and Freida Pinto
directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan (co-director: India)
screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
I can't deny that expectations for this one were high. With a co-worker telling me it was the best movie he had seen in three years, I couldn't help but think that I was going to be watching something special.
Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of young Jamal Malik who, as the film opens, is being tortured in an Indian jail. Believed to have cheated while a contestant on India's version of "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire," Jamal gradually tells his life story to a police interrogator in hopes of proving that he genuinely knew the answers to the game show.
The joy of the film, for me anyway, was in the direction. I'm a big fan of British director Danny Boyle even though I haven't seen the film that gave him his big break -- Trainspotting. Despite (and I'm sure because of) quick cuts and the significant use of flashbacks, Boyle creates a beautiful looking movie...stylistically anyway. A.R. Rahman's score is superb, and I found that it was probably the biggest key in pulling me into this Indian slum world.
Unfortunately, the film just didn't click with me until the final reel, and even then, it kind of left me a little cold. I will say that this film still has me thinking about it to this day (I saw it over a week ago), but I find myself wavering in terms of how much I liked or disliked it. The storyline dealing with Jamal's slimier brother is what I keep coming back to...I didn't really enjoy where that story went, and I found myself not caring at all about this substantial section of the film. Plus, during Jamal's search for his childhood sweetheart, everything seems too coincidental (and, thus, unbelievable) leading up to their initial reunion (no spoiler there, really...I promise).
All that said, the tone that Boyle set for the film was perfect and his work alone knocks the film up a notch or two. However, I can't understand why this film is winning everything in its path this awards season. Was there really no better film? (I know the answer to that...and these better films will be reviewed in upcoming posts.)
The RyMickey Rating: B
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