Slumdog Millionaire Review

Posted by Chad Webb on 12.10.2008

Danny Boyle’s best film.

Dev Patel/Tanay Chheda/Ayush Mahesh Khedekar: Jamal Malik
Anil Kapoor: Prem Kumar
Freida Pinto/Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar/Rubina Ali: Latika
Irrfan Khan: Police Inspector
Madhur Mittal/Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala/Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail: Salim
Saurabh Shukla: Sergeant Srinivas
Directed By: Danny Boyle with co-director Loveleen Tandan
Written By:Simon Beafoy
Release Date: November 12, 2008
Running Time: 2 hours







R for some violence, disturbing images and language.

For the majority of moviegoers all over the world, seeing the real India is not common on the big screen. Occasionally a film is released, but rarely does its popularity increase enough to show people what the country is actually like. Slumdog Millionaire reveals India in its true form, the beauty and the ugliness. This is an adventure of the highest caliber, and a pinnacle for Director Danny Boyle. It will agitate a wide range of emotions deep within you to the surface. You will smile, clench your fists, turn your head in fear, and maybe even shed a tear or two. It is a joyously unique take on an electrifying story.

As Slumdog Millionaire opens, Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) has already won 10,000,000 rupees on the Indian version of the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire. We the viewers are even asked a question as one would be as a contestant, but I’ll leave that for you to discover. Jamal grew up as a boy from the slums of Mumbai, and would be on the run most of his life. How could he be answering all these questions correctly when those of higher education had never attained that level? He must be cheating. To prove this, the Police Inspector (Irfan Khan) and his Sergeant interrogate and torture him to dig out the truth. He claims he just knew the answers, and proceeds to express various instances in his life which relate to the questions he received. This journey takes him through many adventures with his brother Salim, numerous villains, and the love of his life Latika.

The manner in which Slumdog Millionaire is woven together is what makes the story so enthralling and entertaining. The questions become stories, and the stories act as a tale from childhood to that of a young man still searching for his impossible romance. The plot threads lace around one another in such a glorious and organic way that the suspense becomes maddening, and that is a good thing. The characters we encounter along Jamal’s path to the chair make a lasting impact because of what they mean in terms of the money he is building and the advances in difficulty. You’ll be surprised at how much you remember since this is divided into sections, but those sections uncoil as one fine piece of work.

This is a movie that is sure to make strides with luring more viewers into watching a story with subtitles. It has that in common with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Pan’s Labyrinth. To be honest, this includes many scenes with the cast exchanging in English, but a huge chunk is communicated in Hindi subtitles, albeit very creative and colorful ones, and this could easily serve as an introductory film for those contemplating that leap into enjoying a full film in a different language. This will attract people of any language because its themes are universal: rags to riches and love.

Singling out specific actors in this picture is not easy since the three main characters of Jamal, Latika, and Salim are played by three different performers of varying ages. And everyone possesses chemistry like a unit. If anyone is deserving of individual praise it is Dev Patel, who portrays the older Jamal, and sits in the millionaire’s seat with the face of a kid who has gone through hell and back, yet has never given up on his dreams. The most notable name in the cast is Irfan Khan, who has been developing a solid reputation after supporting roles in such terrific films like The Namesake, The Darjeeling Limited, and A Mighty Heart. Most of this journey is experienced right along with Jamal, but it is important to think from the Inspector’s point of view as well. Anyone in that position would assume foul play is involved. The biggest compliment afforded to those who occupy one of multiple people in the same role is that they all look and act like Jamal, Latika, and Sailm at any age.

This is Danny Boyle’s finest hour. It is his most accessible effort to date, and easily the one that will age best on his resume. I have always felt Boyle was very overrated. I admire his cracks at so many genres, but up until now, I have never felt any of his films were better than average. Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary, The Beach, 28 Days Later…, and Sunshine are all either mediocre or given too much credit, though Millions was commendable. That is neither here nor there though because I can safely say Slumdog Millionaire illustrates all of the strengths Boyle has expressed in his career, but has never fully sharpened. With co-director Loveleen Tandan, Boyle employs a crisp, clean, and bracing pace with fresh visuals, exhilarating action, and smooth transitions between segments.

The breakneck screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, based on the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup, incorporates an inspiring story with an energizing mood and hypnotizing characters much like City of God. That really is the only carping I can throw at Slumdog Millionaire. Its method of storytelling is matchless, but the plot itself has been done before, just not in India. What Boyle and company accomplish to rise out of that film's shadow at least a little bit is unleashing so many unforgettable sequences, such as the one involving an Indian movie star and one unfortunate toilet trip, or the ruse the brothers pull at the Taj Mahal, which is priceless.

Every crew member was no doubt healthy and prepared to dish out their A game for this venture. Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography is stunning and all-encompassing, Chris Dickens’ editing evokes a snap-crackle-pop like the 1960 French film Breathless, and the soundtrack is lively and absorbing utilizing great songs like M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” or the cool Bollywood dance number at the end. Slumdog Millionaire is a sensational feat, and even though it operates with an unknown cast, subtitles, and takes place in a foreign country, I urge anyone reading this review to spend the two hours and to give it a chance. I promise you won’t be disappointed, and will want to stand up and cheer.

The 411: In my first paragraph I mentioned that Slumdog Millionaire showcases the real India. This is similar statement to what Roger Ebert said in his review, but it just happened to be something I thought of as well so I don't feel the need to change it. This is a fabulous film, one that will definitely be worthy of repeated viewings on DVD. I usually am not fond of Danny Boyle’s films for one reason or another, but everything falls into place with this effort from the fun cast, the stimulating plot, and the inventive way of assembling the visuals and music. It is always tough for this type of film to get really popular while in theaters, but word of mouth can be a huge help. Spread the word if you have seen it. I guarantee it will pop up again during the Oscar ceremony.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]