Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire (2008). Directed by Danny Boyle.

Slumdog Millionaire was the winner of the audience award at TIFF, has four Golden Globe nominations and it’s on just about everyone’s top ten list for best film of the year. It’s being called a masterpiece by more than one critic and it just may be the most entertaining film of the year.

Jamal, an orphan from Mumbai’s slums ends up on India’s version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and becomes a national hero when he answers every question on the show correctly, round after round. How can an educated kid, a slumdog, know all the answers? If you haven’t seen the film, I suggest you stop reading now.

The game show is a great narrative device for telling Jamal’s story. Through a series of flashbacks we find out why Jamal is able to answer each question. Each flashback builds upon the previous one in chronological order. Part of me thought that Jamal was going to be a Verbal Kint type of character (Usual Suspects) that cons his way into winning the top prize. I love that you never quite know how the film is going to turn until the last question.

Some films tend to drag but this one moves along at quite a clip. Great editing, beautiful cinematography and expert storytelling immerse you in the world of Slumdog Millionaire. I’ve never been to India but I feel that I’ve experienced on some level before the film ends. This is a great feel-good movie that ends up being the fastest 120 minutes I’ve ever watched.

Slumdog Millionaire is easily one of the best films of the year.

Films are rated from 1 to 4 stars.

Slumdog Millionaire - Official Site

Posted in Movie Reviews at 8:38 PM