Enjoyable Movie

Rating: 9/10 (24 December 2008)

I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire it is one of my favorite movies of 2008. The story is well told and although you occasionally plumb emotional depths the film is not depressing. Danny Boyle directs the film brilliantly. The camera work and editing are very slick are make for a fast paced and visually stimulating movie.
Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) serves coffee to call center workers in Mumbai. The film contains flashbacks to his awful childhood as a parent-less Indian street urchin. His life is precarious and he encounters a collection Dickensian grotesques. Despite his misfortunes Jamal remains positive and optimistic,which makes you care about his life will turn out. There are many humorous scenes which lighten the mood. The story unravels like a Dickensian epic and by the end of the film you are glad you invested the time.
Having spent a lot of time traveling around India, but mostly staying at expensive hotels, I almost recognize the main characters in this film. Anytime I went out alone as a well dressed foreigner I was approached by street people, who wanted my money. At the time, the lack of personal space was an annoying intrusion, but this film provides a fascinating insight into the lives of Indian street people, and why hey are so persistent.
Highly recommended.