One of this year's best pictures!

Rating: 10/10 (30 December 2008)

I'll be honest, I did not even hear about this movie until I roamed around on the Internet and found it at IMDb. Seeing that it had a high rating and being nominated for 4 golden globes, I chose to see it. After the two-hour movie flew by, I couldn't help but think how amazing it is.
"Slumdog Millionaire" is about an orphan who grows up in the slums of Mumbai. It is told through flashback by an 18-year old boy named Jamal as he is questioned by the police of the crime of cheating on the Indian version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" The movie does follow the typical rags to riches scenario, but it is made creative by the Indian performers who I thought were well excellent in their roles. Dev Patel as Jamal is on his way for a very promising career.
In addition to the cast, Danny Boyle's direction not only tells the story but also makes it alive. The way he filmed it made me feel like I was in the slums of India, right in where the people sleep in trash heaps and poop in little outhouses that are right by the river. His use of wide and master shots makes this magic believable. Such use of camera shots, as well as quick editing and close ups helps build the tensions in the scenes throughout the film.
At the same time, he captures another India of the wealthy. He reveals the real, modern-day India, unlike films such as "Passage to India" or "Ghandi". One thing I couldn't help but notice about this film is the work of the photographer. The cinematography is different than any other movie I have seen. There's something very "surreal" and vibrant about the lighting and color in the film, as if the sun is the primary source of light (which to a degree is in the outdoor sequences). However, I noticed that in the indoor scenes, this surreal look is still present, particularly based on light sources within those scenes.
In addition with the cinematographer, the sound editors put a lot of emphasis on the background noise. This adds more to the authenticity of the film. For instance, when a train goes by at a train station in the movie, it is very, very loud, as it is in real life. But the one thing that is always louder than the field sound is the thunderous and heart pounding score by A.R. Rahman. I will note that his love theme at the end of the movie is very touching and moving.
Overall, "Slumdog Millionaire" is a unique film that explores a world that no one would want to be apart of, yet millions of people live it. There is some very good humor at times and there are some very shocking and disturbing scenes. Not the gory kind like in a war picture, but rather the depictions of starving kids running away stealing and lying to earn money and get food maybe emotionally intense for some people. It is a hard film to watch, but it is a very good one. It's not one for everyone, but I love it and I consider it to be one of this year's best pictures!