My Review of Slumdog from 2009 - Trip down memory lane..

Slumdog Millionaire A-

In the glorious marching band that is the assembly line of films seeking attention from the Academy, Slumdog Millionaire marches the fastest, beats the loudest and ultimately sets the pace for the whole ensemble. Danny Boyle’s most decorated film yet is a cinematic triumph – relating betrayal, love and tribulation.

The film is quintessentially an exploration of prejudice and the intense hierarchies it creates in countries like India, with Danny Boyle focusing on the unfortunate cluster of people suffocating amongst the dregs, their fates inescapable. Modern day Mumbai acts as the setting for our ‘fairytale’ film; Jamal Malik, an 18 year old from the slums is on the verge of the biggest day of his life, and just one question away from 20 million rupees. He is arrested when the show breaks for the night on suspicion of cheating. Desperate to prove his innocence, Jamal tells the story of his life in the slum where he and his brother grew up, of their adventures together on the road, of vicious encounters with local gangs, and of Latika, the girl he loved and lost Each chapter of Jamal's increasingly layered story reveals where he learned the answers to the show's seemingly impossible questions.

Simon Beaufouy’s screenplay is based on Vikas Swarup’s award winning book ‘Q&A’ where Ram Mohammad Thomas, a poor young waiter becomes the winner of the biggest quizshow in history. The screenplay has been meticulously honed through various research trips to India by Beaufouy– in an interview recently, he related the camadarie of the slums and how impressed he was with the attitudes of the children.

For a film like this to be artistically successful, chronicling the life of its characters from different ages, it is important for the growth of the characters to be natural rather than prosthetic – so accurate casting was crucial and the casting directors were successful.  Dev Patel provides a sense of vulnerability to the film's main character; he himself is on the cusp of being man with his figure signifying the awkwardness of adolescence. Freida Pinto gives the film startling beauty and although she appears in just three  scenes the message of her desperate beauty is successful communicated. It is important for us to immediately grasp that her beauty is one you would cross all ends of the earth for. Apart from Patel the film's cast is composed of actors from India notably Aneel Kapur the biggest actor in the country who plays the host of the quiz show. However, no actor involved in the film is worthy of outlandish appraisal for their performance, it being a very strong ensemble who are able to make its message effective through their convincing delivery.

Following the release of this film the India’s slums have been put under a microscope. Although at the surface we are shocked away from vicious slums, a clearer picture of India is created. The idea to dissect poverty in this film enriches the depth of its messages. India’s Diaspora shouldn’t be hostile towards this film for bringing a harsh reality to our screens or worst yet feel ashamed of their country. Slumdog Millionaire has serviced the nation of India better than any aid appeal or charity ever could. 

Boyle’s direction triggers such strong emotions during the first hour of the film. It is so beautiful when such a talented director can create a film like this for the masses; Boyle’s other films have him trapped in the comfort of a smaller audience, they include the heart-warming ‘Millions’ and the whimsical comedy ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ but none of his films have acquired this much attention from the mainstream audience. Hopefully, this will encourage more of the less mainstream directors to showcase their talents in bigger films.  On the other hand the cynics amongst us may say he has sold his soul here, but if Slumdog Millionaire is his last big-screen, big-budget endeavour he will leave everyone happy. His talent has been introduced to the blockbuster hungry film-goers and he has surely left a mark on Indo-British cinema. 

The director Danny Boyle’s achieves a minor miracle with the creation of this film. Filming in such a chaotic environment means that there are various obstacles that he had to overcome. Mumbai is a city that always changes and even in spans of a few days the setting of the streets can change, this coupled with the majority of the film being shot in the mini metropolis that is the thriving and bustling slums, being able to create a two hour feature film in a set reminiscent of Oxford Street in Christmas Eve is quite an accomplishment. His direction means that we are not observing the surroundings and the people but we are thrown in to this little world for one hundred and twenty minutes.

Slumdog Millionaire is stunningly engaging from the very beginning; capturing the imagination with every scene. The visual and digetic complexities develop an inexorable setting so convincing, any audience would be undoubtedly hooked – the appeal of the film benefits from this effect; as the characters are absorbed more thoroughly and the story becomes more endearing.

The film is a success and a triumphant celebration of all things good in cinema today. With hope, an emotional love story and a vibrant setting this film is to be remembered. Since 1929 eighty brilliant films have been heralded by the academy, but this year an exceptional film will be celebrated.