Slumdog Wants To Be A Millionaire

Rating: 9/10 (1 March 2009)

The accolades for Slumdog Millionaire are many, and they criss cross the globe coming from people from all walks of life. Many people from the region protest the film as undignified and patronizing to the region where they live. Danny Boyle, the Oscar-winning director of the film, combines unknown actors, a largely unknown region of the world (to most people in the United States), crisp cinematography, editing, and sound to tell the story of Jamal, a Mumbai teenager, and how he ends up on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Each of the answers to the questions he's asked are rooted in his past, and the audience learns where the young Jamal has come from. Along the way, Jamal falls in love with a childhood friend (Latika) and spends the rest of his life (his life to that point) searching for her. The film is consistently compelling and entertaining, despite a conscious effort to somewhat sanitize its subject matter.
The film's juxtaposition between aspects of the television show and the harsh realities of Jamal's life are often jarring, but ultimately the film disappoints us by stumbling over the many contrivances necessary to reach the film's Bollywood-like conclusion. The characters are all mostly either all good or all bad. The film utilizes elements of Oliver Twist, Romeo & Juliet, and Bollywood films to sprint to its predictable conclusion. For those of you who think the plot's unfolding is so great, have you asked yourself why Jamal continued to return to both Latika and Salim after being treated in such a despicable manner? Have you wondered why Jamal wanted to continue to "save" Latika after she refused Jamal's request to join him, indicating "and live on what"? How about why Salim suddenly changed his tune and assisted Jamal in his rescue plan? These are only a few of the film's many contrivances. Although the film is definitely over-rated as an ultimate feel-good romantic film, it's still an above average film in terms of drama and suspense with some comic bits. The Oscar-winning song "Jai Ho", which has nothing to do with anything in the film, is tacked on for the end credits. It won eight Oscars, including best picture and screenplay. ***1/2 of 4 stars.