Boyle generates feel good motive in stunningly set drama

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2009)

Jamal Malik (Patel) is accused of cheating on Who Wants to be a Millionaire with one question left and when questioned by authorities, he recounts his life story.
Danny Boyle's 2008 Oscar winner brought many to see the light in the dark dramas of the other Oscar potentials amongst David Fincher's Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon. All strong conceptual dramas and amongst these stood the Englishman's sentimental feel good picture about an apparent cheat on a game show that delighted viewers all over the world.
Filmed in Mumbai, Slumdog is a complex rags to riches story that shines with a warm intensity whilst generating a strong drama of life in the slums of India with Boyle once more establishing himself as one of the finest scenery directors to grace our screens.
At first the Oscar dominator starts as a slow paced establisher by bringing out the sequence of the present of Dev Patel's Jamal being punished in Prison, through a literally shocking manor. From there he starts explaining his life story and how he came to be on Who Wants to be a Millionaire and how he was doing everything for one person.
Danny Boyle certainly handles flashbacks exceptionally well. From Trainspotting to The Beach he swerves the story into a conundrum of possibilities and expectations. As we travel back and forth through events we learn more and more about the accused and Boyle again is establishing the character to fit our viewing requirements. From the desperate surge of rivalry with his brother to the desperation of finding his lost love, Jamal's sentimental plot resounds around the tightly woven Oscar winning script.
What is astonishing about this film however is Boyle's direction and never before has an Oscar been more deserved. From the sharp sweeping shots of India to the sophisticated televised moments Boyle's continuity is to be greatly appreciated as the way the story flows in comparison to Boyle's established scenery setting helps generate the importance and hardness of growing up in the slums and being the most popular person in India.
Dev Patel's first major role is vastly different from his beautifully lively Anwar in Skins. The sentiment and repressed desire fits exquisitely to the story's emotional core whilst Frieda Pinto gives good balance.
There are flaws in this picture. The first part of the film is immensely boring and the pace and energy of the situation takes a while to generate the feeling of proclaimed "destiny". Anil Kapoor is exceptionally annoying as the TV presenter whilst the dance sequence at the very end gives of an unforgivable cheesy vibe.
But there can be minimal doubt that Slumdog deserves its praise with a sentimental feel good motive and once more Boyle is on top form with stunning scenery direction.