Sure feels like a million rupees!

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2009)

My Take: The Best Picture winner of 2008 an enjoyable and uniquely-told rags-to-riches story.
Saying anything, good or bad, about Danny Boyle's SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE won't be nothing more than a preaching with the crowd, not that it would affect the film's reputation. With an overwhelming response to its viewers, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE has since become almost critic-proof upon its release. It was a critic and awards darling which eventually swept most of the awards it was nominated for. It was indeed a success, which is much to say for a movie that's simply about a story of an underdog winning 20 million rupees.
So what makes SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE such a great movie? Is it the masses' hankering to see a simple rags-to-riches story? Is it the eventual word of mouth that spread afterward? And if it was that last one, what would have made such a word of mouth even spread? Well in my opinion, the strength of SLUMDOG might have not just been on the story, but more on the telling. The story of SLUMDOG has already become something common: It's about Jamal (Dev Patel), an 18-year old teen who has lived on the streets of Mumbai all his life. But when he enters the Mumbai version of "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire", without having a formal education. Did he cheat? Probably. That's why before the winning last question, he is kidnapped by guys who want him to confess. Is he a genius? Probably, but he does need help from the audience when asked about the meaning of emblem of India. Or perhaps, is it destiny that's driving him to the finish line?
The story could probably be anyone's underdog story, and yet on the screen, it isn't. The film sports an indie-film look, where the cinematography, lighting and even music accurately captures a Bollywood film. There's even a lively dance sequence during the finale. You swear Boyle has done this sort of thing before! The soundtrack is wonderful too. But sporting style over substance would be nothing to the audience if it doesn't really do much for the story. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE may have added style to its story, but in the end its the story that rings true. Audiences could easily involve themselves with the characters and their plights. In telling the story, Boyle has not just made it visually stunning and inviting, he has made it effective and effectively entertaining.
Rating: ***** out of 5.