This is a film you have never seen before and probably never will again. Slumdog Millionaire touches on so many levels and takes place in an environment we have never seen before. This film takes place in India and is about a boy named Jamal (Dev Patel) and his love for a girl. Jamal makes his way onto India’s version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” and he is going for the last question.
A kid from the slums of Mumbai could become a millionaire overnight. During the break from the show, Jamal is taken by police because everyone believes he is cheating and the cops want to know how. Just exactly how can a slumdog know all the answers to all of these questions? So, Jamal is interrogated and he ends up telling his journey that got him in the hot seat on one of the most famous game shows.
This film is very original. The way the story is told is fantastic. You see Jamal tell parts of his life and how he reflects on those parts to get the right answers to the game show questions. All because of where he comes from, he has to prove his innocence. His life story brings us to why and how he has gotten to the last question. The questions do not even matter as much as how he got the answers.
The obstacles that he was able to overcome in his life and the struggles he endured leads him to becoming a millionaire. But what is more amazing is what he goes through even as a little boy. By the end, you truly know how far he has come and how much he deserves the money. However, it is not even about the money for Jamal. It has always been about
Latika (Freida Pinto), who he calls “the most beautiful girl in the world.”
The performances in this movie could not be any better. Patel plays the older Jamal and gives a great performance and Pinto plays the older Latika. They are both so good and have great chemistry on screen. But the kids who played the youngest Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar), Latika (Rubina Ali), and Jamal’s older brother Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) are all sensational. When you have a story like this one and performances that are done so well by all the actors, you have a great film on your hands.
I cannot talk about this film without mentioning director Danny Boyle. The name may not sound too familiar, but I am sure you have seen at least a few of Boyle’s movies. He has directed films like Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later, and Sunshine. This film is out of his typical genre, but you wouldn’t know it. He tells this story with such great ease and amazing visuals. He is able to capture the landscape of India, including the wealthy part and the slums. I have a feeling Boyle will start to get the respect he deserves after this film.
Slumdog Millionaire tells a story about a struggling boy who found love and lost it. And then was able to find it again. But the best part is watching his journey and how it lead to the Million Dollar Question. You will be able to find out if he was lucky or a cheater. Or maybe it was his destiny and always meant to be.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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