'Slumdog' is pretty much 'Rocky' in India

Rating: 10/10 (15 February 2009)

There is 'The Dark Knight' that everyone was hoping would be nominated for best picture this year. After looking at all the picks, I only saw Benjamin Button which was the film I was once rooting for best picture this year. After seeing this movie last night, I changed my mind and now I'm rooting for 'Slumdog Millionaire'. The film has much hope for a big win at the Oscars just as much as what people are feeling when they are watching Dev Patel try to win 20,000,000 rupees not just for himself but for the one he loves named Latika and his escape out of a dark world ruled by slum lords.
'Slumdog' is pretty much 'Rocky' in India. Rocky (1976) is a poor man doing loan shark work in America. Dev Patel's well realized portrayal as Jamal Malik is also a poor young man in India acting as an assistant to a phone company. Rocky gets the million to one shot to face boxer Apollo Creed. Jamal gets the one chance in a lifetime that many others want which is to compete in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Therefore this film is seen as one of the films to root for making Jamal one of the greatest protagonists in film history. I would say he is a much better hero than AFI's #1 Atticus Finch in "To Kill A Mockingbird" (1962).
Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan's direction is superb. The setting shows a lot of symbols. The set helps make the audience see why it is necessary for Jamal to win the show. Chris Dickens editing is also an achievement because I have not seen a style of editing like his compared to the group of people who edited 'Any Given Sunday'. Even though the editing of 'Any Given Sunday' movie was not nominated for an Oscar, it was still amazing. Academy awards on this film is well deserved. Of course like any other person who writes a review, I am going to have to say if you liked any of the best picture nominations, liked 'City of God' and 'Rocky', I would strongly suggest that you see this film. It's a masterpiece.