Danny Boyle's Best Work to Date?

Rating: 8/10 (30 November 2010)

A young man (Dev Patel) appears on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" He wins, but is quickly suspected of cheating because of his lower-class background. But he is able to explain how he knows each and every answer.
The film is directed by Danny Boyle, who had previously dazzled audiences with a wide variety of films including "Trainspotting" and "28 Days Later". This took his status as "great" and pushed it up over the top, into Oscar status...
The film is, on the surface, the story of one man who strikes it rich. But this is, of course, not the real story: it is an exposition of India and Indian culture, showcasing the poverty that runs rampant there in the world's largest democracy. We see piles of trash, pits for excrement, and more unsavory things being just a part of life for the people in this film. Having one of the biggest economies may not mean much when you also have an overpopulation problem.
I love the rocking soundtrack with a distinct Indian flavor, but also plenty of suspense and energy. And not just in the music... will he or will he not win the money? There is no doubt this deserved to be noticed by the Academy. In fact, Danny Boyle's earlier films deserved to be more than the cult films they have become. But better late than never, I suppose. Please do yourself a favor and see this film.