‘Slumdog Millionaire’ or “ Best picture of 2008? I think so.” (Review)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
Starring: Dev Patel, Irrfan Khanm, Freida Pinto, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail, Madhur Mittal
One of this year’s most visual engaging and emotionally enthralling films is without a doubt the Danny Boyle’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. It might seem like a complex film, but underneath all of the hyper-kinetic camera work, the glitz, the signature style and complex story telling devices, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is nothing more than a well-told love story. Using the Indian version of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ as a framing device for the story, this film is a tale about Jamal Malik, a young Indian man who is close to winning 20 million rupees and becoming an instant celebrity. The question the film asks is how did this young man come to learn the answers to the questions he’s being asked. This is an issue because no one believes that a “Slumdog” like Jamal could possibly know the right answers. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is a look into Jamal’s past as he searches for answers to these questions and we learn how he ended up in this extraordinary situation and search to find the woman he loves.
Director Danny Boyle has really out done himself with ‘Slumdog Millionaire.’ This is one of his most innovative and impressive films, as well as his most consistent film to date. The film is focused on one young man Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) who is introduced to the audience through a brutal scene of torture and interrogation techniques. He’s being accused of cheating his way onto the show ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’. He’s focused and calm for the most part and naturally it’s assumed that he’s innocent and is being set up. A local Police inspector (Irrfan Khan) sets out to question how someone like Jamal could end up as a contestant on the country’s highest rated game show. Through a series of flashbacks, Jamal’s childhood and adolescence is displayed on screen. We come to learn how he’s correctly answering each question, and how he’s made something of himself having grown up in the shantie towns and slums of Mumbai.
Through these flashbacks, each chapter of Jamal and his brother Salim’s upbringing is on display and their tragic and painful stories show us how they went from innocent young boys to damaged young men. The slums of Mumbai displayed in breathtakingly beautiful shots, and we are witness to what a harsh place it is to grow up in. It’s an environment where life isn’t sacred, it’s cheap and they face they daily horrors of discrimination, gangs, and child slavery. The progression of Jamal and Salim is details how they age and just what type of people they eventually become. Jamal is a person whose always does the right thing. Salim is a person who wants to do the right thing but is tempted by the dark paths in life and is fated to end up a much different person than his brother. Jamal is someone who is not ashamed of his past or where he’s from, while Salim seeks to shed all of that and become something more at whatever the costs and no matter who he ends up indebted to or what it does to his relationship with Jamal. Through the answers Jamal gives on the game show we view his journey from childhood into adulthood and are privy to all of the trials and tribulations that made him the man he is. He’s driven, and he’s someone who will never give up searching for his true love even if it takes many years.
Through the combination of Danny Boyle’s skillful direction and unique visionary eye, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ stands out as one of the most unique films to come out this year. Narratively and visually, it’s a nearly flawless film. There are so many unique shots and brilliant filmmaking choice that make this film stylistically stand above so many other films that have been released this year. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ could easily be all style and no substance but it’s a film with well-developed characters and a complete story with heart that looks amazing. ‘Slumdog Millioaire’ could be best described as an urban fairy tale since the always-present message is never stop searching for the one you love. It’s a message present in many films but this one nails it.
Plus, it ends with a Bollywood-style dance sequence and what’s not to love about that?
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
-
Avinash Dolas
-
any
-
Mike Davis (mcdavis)
-
drew buddie
-
lis
-
Reborn Dolls
