One of the best films of 2008

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2008)

Like a cross between 'City of God', 'Quiz Show', and hmm, 'The Usual Suspects', 'Slumdog Millionaire' is Danny Boyle's ('Trainspotting', '28 Days Later') best film to date. Set in the slums of Mumbai, the story traces back through each successive game show question from Jamal Malik's (Dev Patel) tragic childhood in abject squalor, through his life as a teenager in the slums with his criminal-minded brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), and Jamal's pursuit of lifelong crush Latika (the incredibly beautiful Freida Pinto). It starts off auspiciously and ends somewhat conventionally and a little trite, but it's impossible in this case not to root for the underdog. The soundtrack features famed Indian producer A.R. Rahman and M.I.A.