Cast: Dave Patel, Freida Pinto

Director: Danny Boyle

Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy

Running time: 2 hrs

Genre: Drama



CRITIQUE:

You know when you watch a certain film, you emerge out in such a light-hearted mood as though your feet had suddenly grown wings – this is the after-effect of Slumdog Millionaire, and watching it is a joyous experience. Let us admit; Danny Boyle has given us great films before, 28 Days Later, Millions, Sunshine and the druggy caper Trainspotting. Arguably, Trainspotting is widely considered his best, but it gathered cult status rather than classic. But never has he spread his artistic wings much wider than in Slumdog Millionaire, penetrating his camera through the slums of India in such vivid, vibrant details that make his framework giddily alive. The chase through the slums, streets and sewers during a childhood flashback of Jamal are relentlessly shot, captured in such sheer vitality. It is extraordinary. This is one of the best showcasing of editing skills in 2008.


The tale of a 20-year old participant of the Indian Who Wants to be a Millionaire gameshow is not entirely a novel, but it is a material taken with an imaginative vision, parlaying a simple tale about one’s fight for the immortal themes of life, truth and love. We soon realise that Jamal is not after the money, but to win back the girl he loves. The secret here is that Boyle does not intellectualise the story, but instead tells it as though unravelling a past with thrills and heartbreaks. The underdog formula captivating a whole nation’s attention is shown here, but when we learn about Jamal’s experiences of the answers, it is very moving. That we learn to distinguish knowledge from wisdom as we traverse through life’s experiences. The childhood vignettes, from the riotous start to the railway escapades and to Taj Mahal tourist guide antics, it manages to be humorous and subsequently painful and passionate.



VERDICT:

Boyle at his career-best. Slumdog Millionaire may be the film you’ve been dying to watch all year, an exuberant, rapturous paean to the power of cinema – that beneath its gameshow shell is actually a magnificent homage to childhood, adversity, life and love.



RATING: A+