A very good, imaginative film that also depicts India truthfully

Rating: 8/10 (2 April 2009)

This is an imaginative film that uses the much beaten flashback technique in an unusual way -- as part of a TV competition. The direction is first rate and clearly deserves the Oscar that it got. The acting is also very good, the youngest Jamal and Salim emerging as absolute gems. Main actor Dev Patel is excellent if a bit static at times, seeming constantly puzzled by events around him (then again, had I won 20 million rupees I'd probably look puzzled too! And with a beauty like that to share it with...) The photography is of a very high caliber indeed and it helps convey an image of India that reflects its physical beauty but also reveals many of its shortcomings, especially from a human standpoint.
The film laudably does not shy away from depicting the ways children are used, including maiming them so they are more valuable as potential beggars. I was not so sure about the brothers symbolizing the division between Muslims and Hindus but all credit to the film for raising it.
Slumdog Millionaire boasts some sound action sequences -- the one involving Salim killing Maman is particularly well done if hard to swallow -- and, in contrast, some fine comic relief moments that help make it a riveting flick throughout. I saw some reviews that compared it to "City of Angels" - Cidade de Deus -, in some cases calling it a copy of that Brazilian film. In truth, I think the point of contact between the two films is that they happen in the slums of their respective cities, otherwise they differ, principally in terms of character building and narrative technique.
Ultimately, I felt I had watched an engrossing and intelligent film that provided an exciting example of globalization and cooperation across cultural boundaries and which might well serve as a blueprint for the future of movie-making.