Slumdog Millionaire
A movie review by James Berardinelli
Slumdog Millionaire comes from director Danny Boyle and
screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, who fashion what is at heart a romance into
a mystery and a thriller with Dickensian undertones. It's tough not to
think of David Copperfield when we see the "orphanage" to which the
film's main character is consigned during his youth. What's more, this
filmmaking team has found a new and inventive way to approach the
storyline that not only invigorates the material but adds a whole new
layer to it. The result is magical and life affirming, and will
enrapture those who are not scared away by the mention of "subtitles."
For the record, the majority of the dialogue is in English, although
there are lengthy segments during the film's first 40 minutes when
characters speak in Hindi. The way in which Boyle handles the subtitles
is playful and colorful, and entirely unlike what we're accustomed to
see. This is a subtitle movie made with subtitle-phobes in mind. In a way, it's
tough to believe that a film that begins
with such a hard edge ends up being as enriching and deliriously joyful
as this one. The opening sequences have an ominous undertone, with
scenes of torture taking place in the bowels of some dark, dank police
station. When the victim refuses to give the answers his captors
expect, electrodes are attached to his toes and the power is turned on.
This scene is one of the reasons why the MPAA in its wisdom elected to
give Slumdog Millionaire an undeserved R instead of the coveted PG-13.
Now, teenagers are unable to see the film without parental
accompaniment - yet no such restriction limits the access to the
cacophony of carnage that is Max Payne. Go figure. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is a
poor boy from the slums of Mumbai
who finds himself center stage opposite a smug host being watched by 90
million people on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
Improbably, Jamal is able to answer question after question, responding
to the penultimate query and earning 10 million rupees just as time
runs out for the episode. The next day, he will return with a chance at
the biggest prize. However, that night, the police take Jamal in for
questioning, certain that he has cheated. After being tortured, he
explains to them how he knew the answer to every question. This results
in a flashback-rich tour of Jamal's life and the two recurring
characters in it: his violent brother, Salim (Madhur Mittal), and the
girl he loves, Latika (Freida Pinto). Growing up together, they were
the "Three Musketeers" until circumstances tore them apart. It soon
becomes apparent that Slumdog Millionaire isn't actually about
how Jamal did so well on a TV game show, but whether there will be a
happy ending to his found her-lost her-found her-lost her-found her-
lost her relationship with Latika. With Garry Marshall, a happy ending
would be mandatory, but Danny Boyle isn't nearly as conventional.
The film has all the elements necessary to make it a major
winner in general release, and a dark horse Oscar contender. It's
superbly acted, wonderfully photographed, and full of rich,
unconventional location work. Dev Patel has us rooting for the shy,
good-natured Jamal from the beginning. Freida Pinto is beguiling as
Latika. Anil Kapoor, a big name in Bollywood, is deliciously devious as
the gameshow host whose motives are ruled by more than a desire to see
his program get good ratings. Imagine Alex Trebek after having been
seduced by the dark side of the force. The story works on multiple
levels - it can be seen as a sweeping romance, as a thriller, or as a
glimpse at the ways in which a fast-developing economy is convulsing
the fabric of Indian society. Some of the film's funniest and most
satirical scenes occur within a massive call bank where customer
service operatives try to convince callers that they are not, in fact,
located in a foreign country. The movie ends with a grand Bollywood
song-and-dance number that is not to be missed. Placed between the
conclusion of the story proper and the end credits, this sequence dares
anyone to leave the theater in anything but the best of spirits.
Some films keep viewers on the outside looking in, able to
appreciate the production in technical terms but not on other, more
basic levels. This is not the case with Slumdog Millionaire.
Boyle's feature draws the viewer in, immersing him in a fast-moving,
engaging narrative featuring a protagonist who is so likeable it's
almost unfair. The movie has moments of heartbreak and tragedy but it
is ultimately uplifting and contains pretty much all the instances an
audience will want. Boyle has come a long way to get to this point from Shallow
Grave and Trainspotting but, after experiencing the pleasure of Slumdog
Millionaire, I'm glad it's a road he has elected to take. ("I am located just
around the corner from you, Ma'am…")
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