What do you get when you integrate elements of pop culture with stylish filmmaking and an intriguing plot? The answer is Slumdog Millionaire. Based on Vikas Swarup’s book, Q and A, Slumdog Millionaire is perhaps the most well-rounded film of the year, combining realistic characters and dramatic moments with superbly paced editing. The film’s protagonist, Jamal Malik, endures hardships through his childhood in Mumbai in order to be reunited with his adolescent love, Ratika. Jamal becomes a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, in hopes of securing his prolonged destiny. Much of the film’s narrative is told through a retrospective point of view that exhibits the difficult circumstances of two brothers living in the slums of India. From a technical standpoint, we get various shots that convey much tension and heighten the intensity of the plot as the story unfolds. The film’s intertextual references serve as significant tools that remind the viewer just how important things like family, love and dignity really are. One can not help but root for Jamal to become a millionaire and live his childhood dream of ultimate satisfaction. Simon Beaufoy’s excellent screenplay and Danny Boyle’s exhilarating direction provide a film with plenty of heart and realism that any viewer will not soon forget.
OVERALL RATING- 3.6 out of 4 stars
January 12, 2009 at 7:43 pm |
Of all reviews that I have come across, I have not yet seen one that has motivated me to see this film. Although this movie falls just outside of my usual preference, i am highly intrigued and i feel obligated to watch.