157 of 191 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent
As a British born Indian, I wanted to see Boyle take on his version of a bollywood film with a good mix of his direction, all the charm that most of Indian films have. Result, a good directorial effort with an Indian version of City of God; far less brutal and replaces that sardonic hardship from City of God to the hopeful dreams of a young boy from the slums, very much a...
62 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
Not *really* all that great
The marketing people would have you believe that this film will leave you with a warm feeling inside, even that it is safe family viewing, and that it truly deserved to win all those Oscars. Although I did enjoy the film, I disagree with the marketing spin.
The film opens with our "hero", played by Dev Patel, in police custody, being interrogated and...
As a British born Indian, I wanted to see Boyle take on his version of a bollywood film with a good mix of his direction, all the charm that most of Indian films have. Result, a good directorial effort with an Indian version of City of God; far less brutal and replaces that sardonic hardship from City of God to the hopeful dreams of a young boy from the slums, very much a style common in Indian films today.
I've been to India before and seen what this film shows. It doesn't make it less dreary by sugar coating; that's not Boyle's style, he will show what is there and this film depicts India's culture, beauty, depression, poverty, lustre, greed, vengeance, corruption and all the moralities. You might be mistaken into thinking I'm being patriotic but the fact is Boyle has made a very good film, with keeping the actual Indian viewers of this film in mind. He has given it a love story like most Indian films while providing the action and tension that so many Indian-film lovers sitting on corner streets in Mumbai and Delhi will want to see.
I've lived in West London all my life and this is as close to showing India any European film has done in the last 20 years, that includes Bend it like Beckham and Ghandi.
West-Londoner-born, like myself, Dev Patel made his début on SKINS, and excellent UK drama series involving the life of College/Sixformer teens. A good choice since learning an language and accent is easier, but also a familiar face to those who watch Skins. The main focus is on him becoming more than he is, a subtle underdog story that doesn't boast of its pious superiority. He just wants to find the girl, Latika, he met when he was a boy, save her from poverty, prostitution and give her a life she deserves. Along with that, Dev's character known as Jamal Malik has a older brother Salim Malik who cares for money and the high-life, anyway he can get it. It's the Romulus and Remus tale with loads of morality. There are 3 actors per character of Jamal, Salim & Latika, each depicting the 3 main characters at different ages who are excellently cast, cute and innocent from the younger ages; to the older actors who play them as time and chance have made them into what they are now, with their knowledge of the world changing their day-to-day perceptions. Dev's character gets the chance to play on "Who wants to be a Millionaire" in India (Indian Version) with familiar host and legendary Indian actor Anil Kapoor. What could a slum-dog know of the world, more than most. He's graduating from the university of life.
Contrasting, political, brutal, and bitter-sweet. 8.5/10.
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The marketing people would have you believe that this film will leave you with a warm feeling inside, even that it is safe family viewing, and that it truly deserved to win all those Oscars. Although I did enjoy the film, I disagree with the marketing spin.
The film opens with our "hero", played by Dev Patel, in police custody, being interrogated and tortured as it is believed that he has been cheating on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" He is one question away from winning the big prize and the presenter suspects that he is somehow engineering a win. After being electrocuted, he reveals that he just knew the answers and that nothing was afoot, and he proceeds to explain. The police play a recording of the show, and as each question is asked, he reveals how he knew the answers. It transpires that each answer relates in some way to events in his life, and there was no trickery at all.
There are some extremely funny moments here, some disgusting scenes (the toilet scene especially) and some utterly horrifying moments - the blinding of a child forced into a life of begging in particular. The love story aspect of the film seems to develop very suddenly, and Frieda Pinto must only be on screen for fifteen minutes or so and has hardly any lines of dialogue, but still I confess that I had a lump in my throat at the end, big softie that I am.
The film looks quite spectacular. In the first quarter or so of the film much appears to have been shot on hand-held cameras, and the images come thick and fast, almost disorientatingly fast, and some may find it hard to watch. Some scenes are incredibly beautiful, blazing with colour and life, and much of the early section is shot from low angles, which is clever as many of these scenes are dealing with childhood memories, so you are almost getting a child's eye view of the shanties of Mumbai. Obviously, there is a lot of subtitled dialogue here too.
All of the performances are good, the children and Dev Patel are particularly excellent. The film is well made too, but did it deserve so many accolades? Not really. I was disappointed if I'm honest, almost bored in a few places, but the film could have been an awful lot longer - we don't see every single question he was asked on the show, for example, just a few. It should also be noted that the film bears little resemblance to the book...
"Feel-good film of the decade"? No - not at all. It's enjoyable, but not for kids or sensitive souls, and don't expect anything along the lines of "Pretty Woman". If you can, watch it before you buy it, otherwise you may be disappointed, as I was.
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Slumdog Millionaire is a film that, along with the Booker Prize winning novel White Tiger, attempts to show both sides of India - the light and the dark. It's marketed as a 'feel-good' movie but it doesn't start out that way, as it includes a lot of quite extreme violence, the kind you certainly won't see in feel-good movies like Mamma Mia for example. So the headline in the posters and billboards is a little misleading. What it is is a film that, as with some others directed by Danny Boyle, manages to combine the gritty, earthy reality of life on the streets with an uplifting sense of vibrancy and - in this case - even joy. It's a film about people living in appalling squalour that manages to be exciting and entertaining. The screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, based on Vikas Swarup's novel, is in essence a fabulous tale (or as we tend to abbreviate it, a fable) that is brought to the screen with some excellent camera-work that makes the viewer feel is if they are really down there in the slums of Mumbai. It's made to feel all the more realistic by the inclusion of at least two children who were literally taken from those slums in order to have leading roles in this film. Two brothers grow and develop but while one of them sticks to the straight and narrow, the other crosses over to the bad side, and while they may be living in abject poverty they still have lofty aspirations for the future - one of the many skills director Boyle has is to demonstrate that anybody, no matter how poor, can be ambitious and positive and this is never portrayed in a patronising way.
Mumbai is a city of perhaps 20 million people and most of them want to find not so much a way out, but a way to the top, and the theme of this movie is that of one person's struggle to achieve it (in his own very personal, romantic way) by the somewhat unlikely route of India's version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Basically he wants to find the girl of his dreams, a girl who he has known since childhood in the slums, and the best way to get her attention is to appear on the hugely successful TV quiz show.
I saw this first at the cinema and it was so good I bought the DVD too. It's a fantastic piece of cinematography and direction, there's a real story to it - even if somewhat unlikely - and I think it's one of the few DVDs that is worth owning as opposed to just renting briefly. The film isn't short at exactly two hours, but the deleted scenes on this DVD could all have been included and made it even better. Usually when you see deleted scenes you understand why they weren't included in the final cut; in this case I think the producers decided to stick to a 120-minute limit. If there's ever a 'Director's Cut' version, which could be 150+ minutes long, I would recommend it.
It's not the feel-good movie of the decade, as it is being promoted, but it's probably one of the best movies released in 2009. It fully deserves its 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, and really should not be missed if you haven't seen it already.
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The smiley happy cover does nothing to portray the film and its grim reality of life in the slums of India.
Watch it - it's a good film and it's a lot better than the "feel good movie" strapline would have you believe. Oh, and it's a 15 for a good reason - don't let the little ones watch it.
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Slumdog Millionaire is a superbly filmed and acted movie. The early chase scenes are a great way to introduce us to the slum environment, one not simply filled with strife, but also moments of happiness. Using the Who Wants to be a Millionaire formet as the fixing point of the movie is a brilliant stroke which creates a central focus we can all recognise whilst at the same time being the end point of all the flashbacks we are shown.
Boyle's expert flourishes bring out the best in this movie and the best in the actors. The two paths open to the brothers are clearly shown. One seeks power and money, the other is guided by love and human connection. These two journeys entwine and are juxtaposed with each other as we follow Jamal's story.
This is a wonderfully vibrant film given greater impact by its necessary touches of darkness.
If you want to know more about Slumdog Millionaire and Danny Boyle's other feature-length films then why not check out my book Ordinary Heroes: The Films of Danny Boyle which is available on this site.
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I couldn't resist buying Slumdog Millionaire with its many Oscars and rave reviews. The film was a lot darker than I expected however it is a wonderful story and seems upsetingly realistic for the children and people of Indias slums.
The film follows the lives of 2 brothers and their struggle to get cash to survive- the Mia track 'Paper Planes'fits the soundtrack beautifully and the underlying love story is delicate and charming in such a harsh reality.
The local child actors are amazing and deserving of any way to escape the poverty, I'd like to think that with the financial sucess of the film lives have been dramatically improved.
Finally the film has a well deserved happy ending and a feel good factor bollywood dance routine.
This is a thought provoking film and the circumstances are shown in a matter of fact and not overly sentimental way however you can't help but feel a bit guilty about the lives of so many as you sit with a bucket of popcorn.
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In the year that Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" was nominated for the Best Picture at the Oscars, it lost out to "Shakespeare in Love",- a decent film but the best of the year? Probably not. The fact the "Slumdog Millionaire" took the same accolade in the year that "The Reader" was nominated conjures memories of Spielberg missing out a few years ago.
It isn't that Slumdog is a bad film, far from it in fact. It is an enjoyable film with much to admire, the acting is decent in the main, the story holds the thrall and there are plenty of messages both hidden and explicit about poverty, social class, greed, love and loss but the film struggles to find an identity! It's a little too much of a mixed bag, it's a comedy, a drama, a romcom and a gangster film and the sum of these parts is better than each element on its own. The film's comedy is not actually that funny, the drama is not very dramatic, the gangster elements are less than threatening or cold blooded and as a romcom it leaves you feeling a little cold.
Nevertheless, it is still an enjoyable film, it is original in its ideas which in itself is something of a refreshing change, the direction is slick from the ever reliable Danny Boyle (although again, he won an Oscar but was it the best of the year??? I'm not convinced) and the film is vibrant and colourful.
Maybe this is film represents the coming of age of the Bollywood New Wave and heralds it as entering further into the mainstream and thereby being less of a new wave. It is a very "nice little film" but will it be spoken of in years to come with the same reverence as some of its predecesors as Best Film Oscar winners such as The Godfather, Schindler's List, Manhattan, The Sting, Crash or One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest to name a few or will it mentioned in the same breath of vague memory as Shakespeare In Love.
I fancy that it will be the latter!
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When it debuted on 4 September 1998, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire redefined the gameshow genre, brining with it a slickness and glamour which had never existed before. At its peak, it drew in 19 million viewers, aired in over 100 countries and saw millions of people annoyingly asking "Is that your final answer?" Then Judith Keppel (of Eggheads fame) won the million, and nobody could really be bothered watching it anymore. Viewing figures plummeted and it's been bumped to any random slot that can be found for it in the schedule. After watching Slumdog Millionaire though, you may just feel a yearning to give it another chance...but only if Anil Kapoor is hosting!
The titular `slumdog', Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), somehow manages to fly through round-after-round of India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? At the last question, and on the verge of winning 20 million rupees, he is arrested by the authorities for cheating and tortured. During his (brutal) interrogation, he reflects on his tumultuous life, with each chapter having played a crucial part in his current fortune.
With Slumdog Millionaire, genre hopping Brit director Danny Boyle has created three things - an edge of the seat thriller, a compelling drama and a work of art. Boyle's direction style, getting right down to street level, gives the film a breathless and exhilarating tempo, with the initial chase through the Mumbai slums reminiscent of the opening scene from Trainspotting and is deserving of comparison with the brilliant City of God. Boyle, along with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, brings to life the slums of Mumbai, giving the film a vibrant and energetic tone. The feature also chronicles the transformation of Mumbai into the global city which it is has become. This is captured perfectly when Jamal is sitting with his older brother Samal (Madhur Mittal) in an incomplete skyscraper which is built on the site of their old slum. A.R. Rahman's Bollywood infused soundtrack maintains the energy of the film and also helps drive it.
The adapted screenplay by Simon Beaufoy has come in for criticism, with accusations that it's completely impossible that anything like Jamal's story could actually happen. This criticism is completely unfounded, and maybe these same critics should also be reminded the lions don't talk and barbers don't slice people's throats. Instead, what Beaufoy has created is a multi-layered, contemporary Dickensian parable, full of depth, twists and turns. The main message of the film is that most people don't learn the facts of life through sitting down and reading books; they are taught them through experience. The claims of `feel-good' film of the year should be taken with the pinch of salt though; there is much slumdog to get past before you reach the millionaire. The three fractured narrative strands of the film are also brought together well by editor Chris Dickens into one gripping story which flows seamlessly.
Dev Patel, former star of Skins, has Danny Boyle's daughter to thank for his current superstardom. After encountering trouble finding a lead in India - all of the male actors are buff, strong young men - Boyle's daughter suggested the young actor, and he fills the role of the `chia-wallah' brilliantly, making Jamal someone the audience wants to root for. The younger Indian children, who portray Jamal and his brother when they are younger, bring their slum dwelling experience to the fore, and fill the role entirely. Special praise must go to Anil Kapoor - aka Bollywood legend - as WWTBAM? host Prem Kumar, who acts as ringmaster for the entire proceedings.
The Verdict
An energetic, engaging, spirited and exhilarating modern day parable, told by a director at the top of his game - Boyle's hit the jackpot!!!
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'Slumdog Millionaire' tells the tale of 18 year old Jamal who wins Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The show do not believe he would know the answers as he has grown up in the poorest and most uneducated parts of India, so they accuse him of cheating and interrogate him into how he knows each of the answers.
I watched this film not really knowing anything about it other that it had been nominated for a lot of awards and has gotten rave reviews from most critics, so thought I'd give it a watch and after coming out of the cinema yesterday I have to agree with the positive reviews that it has gotten as it was superb!
This has a fantastic mix of drama and comedy that had me both shocked and laughing out loud throughout the whole movie. The story was very clever, if a little predictable at times. The acting from the whole cast was very good, especially when the lead characters are their 10 year old selves, which was particuarlly funny in those scenes.
It was also quite a reality check from the start - showing how bad the conditions are in Mumbai and Bombay and really made me think how lucky we are over here in England.
Overall, with this and The Wrestler I think that 2009 has started off with some top quality films, so I just hope this continues as 'Slumdog Millionaire' was one of the most original and best films I've seen in a while. Highly recommended.
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It annoys me that any critic can call this film "feel-good" or even "optimistic" when in fact it is quite depressing. Sure, the lead wins the cash and gets the girl but that doesn't alter the harshness of the awful scenes we saw earlier in the film. Let's not forget that Jamal's escape from the slums and poverty is completely unbelievable and pure fantasy. The brutal ugly scenes of India's slums and the abused children are the only real thing on show so if you feel good after watching this you need your head examined.
Aside from this, the film would be much better if it actually stopped for a while and made us believe the central romance. The older actors are really quite average in their performances and none of the scenes have any emotional resonance. Whilst Boyle zips his camera around and blasts out the urban music (to show how hip and cool he is) the film is still overlong and drags by the midway point.
This film lacks depth, has a ridiculous plot and doesn't entertain in any way, all it does is make you thankful you didn't have to grow up in a slum.
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