Thursday, March 12, 2009

Slumdog Millionaire

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Slumdog Millionaire (India)
Written by Vikas Swarup (novel) and Simon Beaufoy (screenplay)
Directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan (co-director: India)
Awards, 8 Oscars as well as 71 other awards and 26 nominations (see here for complete list)
Released: 23 January 2009 (USA)

The Mumbai slums kid Jamal K. Malik (actor Dev Patel), possesses only the answers- nothing more. He is honest even if it will kill him despite his harsh life experiences. Jamal makes it to the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". The film flashes back and forth between how he knows the answers, each being a gruesome experience (death, tyranny, betrayal) but each enables him to commit a fact to memory thus enabling him to answer another question correctly. Because of his success on the TV show his is thought to be a fraud, a cheat. For that reason he is interrogated, and with each blow any onlooker (as well as the interrogators) can see that this is no regular teen, his inner strength awes with a jaw-dropping force.

Love is a key element in Slumdog Millionaire. Jamal is loyal and faithful in his pursuit of one unattainable girl Latika (Actress Frieda Pinto)as children, as youths and still as teens. He encounters her over and over throughout their young lives only to have her taken from him just a second too soon. Are they meant to be, is it destiny?

I saw this movie almost a week ago and I can't stop thinking about it. I can't. I loved it on so many levels. I hated the violence, and it wasn't Hollywood violence, it was street kid raw gore. I disliked the villains in this film and that they made it their life goal to destroy Jamal, who I loved from the first second I saw him. As harsh as his past is, he becomes beautiful despite it, I am a believer. Oh, and the music is really fun!

Slumdog Millionaire easily earns a full-on 100% recommendation from me. I saw it in the theater and I will buy it when I see it out on DVD. My only slight warning is that if you can't handle violence, well you still should go, just be sure to cover your eyes, and go with someone who can nudge you when it is time to look again. It didn't bother me, but I was allowed to watch Die Hard as a 7-year-old. It is written: THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST SEE.



Slumdog Millionaire trailer:





I reviewed this film as part of the Orbis Terarrum Film Challenge.

13 comments:

Richard said...

Yay, it's great to see you enter the world of movie reviewing! What a fine debut!!

bermudaonion said...

I enjoyed this movie too. After I saw it, I read that people actually pay to tour the slums of Mumbai, which I find appalling.

claire said...

I read the book when it came out, it was still called Q&A, and loved it, so hilarious! I think it was the book that made me laugh the hardest. Looking forward to the film..

Ti said...

I am looking forward to seeing this one, but it will be on my own as no one, friends or family want to see it with me. I don't mind violence unless it's gratuitous violence which could have been cut out.

Nicole (Linus's Blanket) said...

This was such a great movie. And I loved the dance at the end. Broke up all the tension.

bethany (dreadlock girl) said...

Richard-
Oh, it was harder than I thought it would be to review it. I think it would have been easier if I had been able to see it twice...huh, that sounds like an attractive option! :)

You haven't seen it then. you better!
Thank you, you are kind.

bearmudaonion- wow, that is crazy. I could see people wanting to do mission work, or hunger outreaches, but not a tour. What would be the point in that!?

claire- So you liked it!? I was wondering if I would like it or if it would taint my view of the film. I know, that is probably silly. I could just read it as a fully different thing. Thanks for the recommendation. And yes, you better see this.

Ti- If you bring people, even if they don't want to see it, they will certainly love it. It is incredible.

Nicole- You are so right, that was very fun, I think that is why they did it. I bet the actors needed to clear their minds too :) I love that kind of dance, just so fun! Glad you liked the film too!

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

I.LOVE.THIS.MOVIE!!! We sat really close to the screen because we arrived late and the show was sold out, so some of the movements and close ups were a little difficult visually, but I want to see it again!! And I loved the music. And the colors. And the humor. And the tugging at the heartstrings. It really was that good, huh? So glad you loved it, too!!

Alyce said...

I'm sure my husband and I will watch this when it comes out on dvd.

I just had to say that my dad used to let me watch violent movies too. We watched the Die Hards, Lethal Weapons and Rambos, and of course the John Wayne movies. Not all of them are violent, but I remember Big Jake was pretty intense. :)

Brian W. Pettepiece said...

This is the first review that has actually made me want to see the movie. (I wasn't impressed by all the Oscar hoopla.) Ok, I'll check it out.

Karen said...

This movie is fantastic - I have bought the soundtrack and have been listening to that non-stop since we saw the movie!

S. Krishna said...

I really want to watch this movie and read the book!

Eva @ One Swede Read said...

It's such a great movie!! The book is very different, though - basically it has the frame story and not much else in common. Both are good, but in different ways.

Elizabeth said...

I can't wait to get this from Netflix!!