The "Rocky" of game shows.

Rating: 8/10 (5 December 2011)

"Slumdog" precisely lived up to everything I heard about the film: the concept is gimmicky (the life story of an Indian untouchable is told through a series of game show questions) but the execution is brilliant. The first half of the two hour run-time is a tough sit as Jamal the protagonist faces the worst a brutal Indian society has to offer but in the meantime learns the answers which will eventually make him successful on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" However, that emotional investment of watching slaughtered mothers and intentionally blinded children pays off in the second half as you become emotionally invested in Jamal continuing his dream run on the show and his continued pursuit of his oldest friend from the slums / love interest. The very end of the movie veers into Disney Bollywood style (stay for the dance number) territory but up until that point any ground gained by Jamal is paid for in torture and betrayal. In short, the film's emotional resonance is hard-won by the audience and is well-worth the effort. By the way, the central conceit for the ending of the movie came from the first winner of the American version of the game show who used his "Phone-a-Friend" lifeline to get in touch with his father not to ask for help but to let him know he was about to win a million dollars.