A bit too credulous for me

Rating: 6/10 (14 November 2010)

Yes, this is a good film, but for my money it isn't a great film. It's a feel-good film, sure, but to me the good feeling isn't earned in a plausible enough way. "Oh tnrc75, you're just too bitter, it's just a movie" I hear you say. Well fine, it's a movie, but given the immense poverty in Mumbai and the unfathomable societal problems, I find a movie which is so feel-good is like ignoring an 800 pound gorilla in a room.
Yes it's wonderful that the plucky protagonists Latika and Jamal wind up together at the end. It's great that the boys escape from the slavery to which they at one point seemed destined. It's wonderful that Latika (Freida Pinto) escapes the clutches of mob boss Javed (Mahesh Manjrekar) who runs Mumbai. But given the problems and the extent of the problems in India, I found that adhering this feel-good story to such a mass of intractable problems pressed me to suspend my disbelief more than I felt comfortable. It's nice we can find an inspiring (fictional) story....but what about telling the story of the wrenching poverty, short life expectancy, and gross corruption in the government of Mumbai?
There is some wonderful acting in the film, in particular from the actors playing the youngest versions of Jamal, Latika, and Salim (Ayush Khedesh Mahekar, Rubina Ali, and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail). Given the tragic nature of the material, I found their performances astonishingly affective. I hope that they are able to remain actors if that is what they so desire. The direction from Danny Boyle is excellent, the cinematography is moving, and the music is great. There are many things to credit in this movie. I just can't find it in myself to give this film a higher rating given the welter of massive problems which beset India. I find that crediting work such as this distracts fortunate Western audiences to giving money or choosing government leaders who will try to diminish the problems which make the ultimate triumph so inspiring to so many.