Slumdog Millionaire (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing Slumdog Millionaire
a story about a poor young man from the slums of Mumbai who competes on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The movie is about that and much more.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: This movie was fantastic. When you hear the description it doesn’t sound so great, but this movie is an obvious Oscar contender. It just sucks you in.
Scott: In a word, incredible. This was the best movie of the year by far. Its runtime is 120 minutes and it was the fastest 2 hours of my life. There wasn’t a slow spot in the movie.
Mike: This film has action, humor, emotion, love, horror and a great story. I marvel at the structure of the story. The story unwinds as the narrative progresses.
Scott: The movie starred Ayush Mahesh Khedekar as the youngest Jamal, Tanay Hemant Chheda as middle Jamal, and Dev Patel as the oldest Jamal. You first meet older Jamal as he is a contestant on the show, and from there we are told the story of his life. His brother Salim is played by Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (young), Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala (middle), and Madhur Mittal (older).
Life is very tough for them as they are growing up in a slum in a very poor area of a very poor Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (and yes it was actually filmed on location there). The two young boys went from bad to worse early in life when they lost their mom. They survived on their wits and guile. Younger Jamal looked up at his bigger, older, brother Salim. The boys were inseparable.
The 3rd Musketeer of the group was Latika, played by Rubiana Ali (young), Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar (middle), and Freida Pinto (older). We don’t learn much about where she comes from other than she shares the same terrible conditions growing up.
Mike: The movie gives you a look into a world and a culture most of us probably know nothing about. I was amazed at the trials these kids have to overcome.
Scott: It’s a world that we have heard more about in the last decade with outsourcing of certain jobs. We see some of that here as Mumbai grows from a slum to nicer place where housing has improved and many people, including Jamal, work at call centers.
All three of the actors who played Jamal were very good. Each had a sense of hope when hope was in short supply. Dev Patel, as the oldest Jamal, looked as if he had lived through those tough years. You can’t help but be sympathetic to his life and inspired by his determination.
Mike: This movie reminded me of the book The Kite Runner. I say the book and not the movie, because as good as The Kite Runner film was, it did not measure up to this film. The Kite Runner is another tale that from the description sounds like it would be a miserable read, but I couldn’t put it down. Similarly it is a story of a man who has to live through some tragic conditions while striving for something better.
Scott: The differences between the two brothers are what they did when faced with adversity. Jamal tried to stay ‘good’ while brother Salim did whatever he could to keep himself and Jamal safe, including working for the wrong people.
Mike: The movie is based on a book titled Q&A, and it is interesting how the questions from a simple show like Who Wants to be a Millionaire help unravel the story of Jamal’s life.
Scott: The name Latika means Hindu god in India. And that name makes sense for the lead female in this movie. She represents goodness and hope in the movie; she is the one place where Jamal, and we, can feel good. She really was the rose in the field of rocks.
Mike: This is Freida Pinto’s first film and I think she does a nice job. It doesn’t hurt that she looks like a model. Which makes sense, since prior to this she was a model.
Scott: Director Danny Boyle really set the mark high with this movie. He has made some other movies I liked in the past, Sunshine and 28 Days Later. The movie really gave you a sense of the desolation and enormity of the Indian slums.
Mike: Slumdog shows Boyle’s versatility. Without knowing I never would have guessed this was by the director of 28 Days Later. The cinematography gave a great sense of India from the slums to the Taj Mahal.
Scott: What did you think of this?
Mike: I give this film 4.5 out of 5 stars overall and a 4.5 for drama. After my disappointment with other acclaimed films Revolutionary Road and Doubt, this is the best movie I have seen this year. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is still in the wings, though.
Scott: Like I said earlier, this is the best movie of the year. I give it a 5 overall and 5 for dramatic film. You always hear, “If you can only see one movie…’, but with this movie I agree wholeheartedly.
By the way, the movie is in English with some subtitles at the beginning of the movie. Don’t stay away because you think it’s a foreign film. You won’t have problems following the movie.
