A modern fairy tale...for the ages

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2009)

I had heard some grumbling about this movie being overrated, and until about halfway through the movie, despite enjoying myself, I was willing to give it maybe 9 stars out of 10. But then it became more than the story of a couple of kids from the slums - it became a great retelling of two ancient stories: the kid from humble beginnings who makes history, and the boy who gets the girl, loses the girl, and...well, let's not spoil it, shall we? The second half, as we see the protagonists mature, combined with the climactic finale of the game show, is easily one of the best pieces of film I have ever seen in my life.
Yes, Slumdog Millionaire is incredibly unrealistic. Let's be frank, even giving generous leeway for coincidence, there is no way this could have happened. The women featured in the movie are nearly always perfectly pretty; the prominent usage of perfect English is extremely unrealistic; there is just no way Jamal's life could have worked out in such a way that he would know the right answers.
But if you think this is a criticism of the film, all I can say is that I'm really quite sorry for how seriously you take yourself. Great stories are not about the real world; great stories tell us about a world that could be, and make it seem almost as real to us as the world we live in. Slumdog Millionaire is a fairy tale for the ages, and for all its unrealism, is an uplifting and inspiring story of determination, love, and destiny. While I would say that I am often too eager to cut films some slack and give them 10 out of 10 just because I enjoyed myself thoroughly watching them, I have no qualms about giving Slumdog Millionaire a perfect 10. I would give it 11 if I could. This is a movie that deserves it.
A side-note on issues of realism: although I have never lived in India, I visited Kolkata for a week and the slums and way of life I saw were very similar to that depicted in the movie. I come from a multi-ethnic country with many Indians and huge income disparities; I have socialised with both the wealthy elite and the squatters living nearly hand to mouth. I can easily tell you that Slumdog Millionaire is off in many ways. But every timeless tale is not quite accurate, and I don't hear anyone ragging on Snow White or George Washington's cherry tree for their realist faux pas. Slumdog Millionaire is a beautiful story, and while I'm not sure it stands in that class, it is one of the most amazing things to have ever been filmed. Watch it.