There just isn't enough to invest in.

Rating: Null/10 (24 January 2009)

For films such as Slumdog Millionaire, it can oft be hard to distinguish just what the director behind the project was intending to provoke from their audience. On the one hand, Slumdog tells a compelling and mostly interesting rags-to-riches story topped off with a sugar coated ending with extra sprinkles that- while notably hammy- doesn't cross over into absurdity. Yet it also tries to tell another tale alongside it, this time revolving around a romance that never quite takes off in the way that director Danny Boyle wishes it to. Boyle, who up to this point is known for his sensually driven works, surprisingly hasn't touched upon romance at least in the quantity and focus as to which Slumdog Millionaire implies; unfortunately, this lack of experience on his part shows throughout. So although the majority of the feature remains as a somewhat uplifting and compelling drama on base level, a distinct lack of focus in characterisation and chemistry stops the movie from ever going beyond its ostensible ideas and generic façade. In the end I found myself moved more by what Slumdog wanted to say rather than what it did say.
Taking place largely in flashback mode, Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar, Tanay Chheda), a- well- "slumdog". Born in the slums and raised for the most part as an orphan, Jamal is a quiet, well-intentioned boy with a big heart and even bigger eyes for opportunity and beauty. It isn't long before he spots Latika (Freida Pinto, Rubiana Ali, Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar) and from here on in it would seem the story writes itself. From here the script moves in and out of telling a mystery thriller seeped in slow paced drama, and diverging upon a romance which feels forced and laboured.
A much more compelling element within Slumdog's narrative however lies in the way in which the story is framed within a retelling of the protagonist's chance of lifetime on game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. This otherwise gauche framing device serves as a surprisingly effective way in which to chop up Jamal's childhood and teenage life into its most digestible pieces without seeming too contrived, whilst also paving way for the movie's big finale which makes the most out of the slow building momentum of the first two acts. The result of this clashing between engaging drama and forgettable romance is jarring however; there are times when Slumdog soars and times when it gets downright irksome.
One thing that usually remains as something to look forward to within a Danny Boyle feature however lies within its aesthetics. Taking place entirely within the impoverished areas of India, the movie establishes strong images and motifs throughout which in turn further the film's emotional and psychological connections with the viewer. From the patched, duct-taped, second-hand nature of everything, the world of Slumdog Millionaire entices ideas of existentialism not just through its protagonist's story but through the environment in which he exists. This, coupled with a magnificent score and soundtrack which more often than not gives the movie its biggest and most memorable sequences, provide a sensual experience that one now comes to expect when greeted by the name Danny Boyle.
I couldn't help but wish that such ideas and care were taken with the remainder of the feature however; especially concerning the romance played out by the lead performers. Boyle, who is inexperienced to some degree in handling such dynamics, doesn't do much to provide any interest in the protagonist's love interest- it's clear that youthful, whimsical love is certainly implied within the constructs of this average romance and yet it is never truly shown. This generic approach to storytelling inevitably hurts Slumdog to the point that many of its sequences which draw heavily upon this much needed chemistry fall on their face. The actors themselves are fine and able- and provide excellent performances in all other respects- but as a pair, there just isn't enough to invest in.
This in turn brings me to my final conclusion on what is essentially a mixed bag of engaging drama and tepid fairytale; Slumdog Millionaire is a fine picture- it provides a heart-warming story with all its intentions in the right places, and yet it doesn't ever convince in its ability to connect with the viewer. What results is a lukewarm, temporal pleaser, but certainly not one to be cherished for years to come.

A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)