Slumdog Millionaire

Description

This Mumbai-set, rags-to-possible riches tale, co-directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan, was the winner of eight Oscars at the 2009 Academy Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is an 18-year-old street kid from the slums of Mumbai. So what is he doing appearing on the Indian version of 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'? How can a young man from his background of poverty have acquired the knowledge to be only one correct answer away from winning 20 million rupees? With only one more question to be asked, however, the dream turns to nightmare. As the hooter sounds to signal the end of the show, Jamal is arrested and accused of cheating. No-one can believe that he could really know all of the answers he has given. As Jamal tells the story of his life to the police, the reasons for his success begin to appear. Will Jamal be freed to hear the final question and, if so, will he know the answer? Review: Slumdog Millionaire - When it debuted on 4 September 1998, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire redefined the gameshow genre, brining with it a slickness and glamour which had never existed before. At its peak, it drew in 19 million viewers, aired in over 100 countries and saw millions of people annoyingly asking "Is that your final answer?" Then Judith Keppel (of Eggheads fame) won the million, and nobody could really be bothered watching it anymore. Viewing figures plummeted and it's been bumped to any random slot that can be found for it in the schedule. After watching Slumdog Millionaire though, you may just feel a yearning to give it another chance...but only if Anil Kapoor is hosting! The titular `slumdog', Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), somehow manages to fly through round-after-round of India's version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? At the last question, and on the verge of winning 20 million rupees, he is arrested by the authorities for cheating and tortured. During his (brutal) interrogation, he reflects on his tumultuous life, with each chapter having played a crucial part in his current fortune. With Slumdog Millionaire, genre hopping Brit director Danny Boyle has created three things - an edge of the seat thriller, a compelling drama and a work of art. Boyle's direction style, getting right down to street level, gives the film a breathless and exhilarating tempo, with the initial chase through the Mumbai slums reminiscent of the opening scene from Trainspotting and is deserving of comparison with the brilliant City of God. Boyle, along with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, brings to life the slums of Mumbai, giving the film a vibrant and energetic tone. The feature also chronicles the transformation of Mumbai into the global city which it is has become. This is captured perfectly when Jamal is sitting with his older brother Samal (Madhur Mittal) in an incomplete skyscraper which is built on the site of their old slum. A.R. Rahman's Bollywood infused soundtrack maintains the energy of the film and also helps drive it. The adapted screenplay by Simon Beaufoy has come in for criticism, with accusations that it's completely impossible that anything like Jamal's story could actually happen. This criticism is completely unfounded, and maybe these same critics should also be reminded the lions don't talk and barbers don't slice people's throats. Instead, what Beaufoy has created is a multi-layered, contemporary Dickensian parable, full of depth, twists and turns. The main message of the film is that most people don't learn the facts of life through sitting down and reading books; they are taught them through experience. The claims of `feel-good' film of the year should be taken with the pinch of salt though; there is much slumdog to get past before you reach the millionaire. The three fractured narrative strands of the film are also brought together well by editor Chris Dickens into one gripping story which flows seamlessly. Dev Patel, former star of Skins, has Danny Boyle's daughter to thank for his current superstardom. After encountering trouble finding a lead in India - all of the male actors are buff, strong young men - Boyle's daughter suggested the young actor, and he fills the role of the `chia-wallah' brilliantly, making Jamal someone the audience wants to root for. The younger Indian children, who portray Jamal and his brother when they are younger, bring their slum dwelling experience to the fore, and fill the role entirely. Special praise must go to Anil Kapoor - aka Bollywood legend - as WWTBAM? host Prem Kumar, who acts as ringmaster for the entire proceedings. The Verdict An energetic, engaging, spirited and exhilarating modern day parable, told by a director at the top of his game - Boyle's hit the jackpot!!! Review: Film of the year. - The overwhelming success of Slumdog Millionaire seems inescapable at the moment: with copious awards being granted to all facets of the production, and the once unknown actors steadily becoming household names. Though Slumdog only hit our screens in early January, its sudden thrust into worldwide success points to one question: is this innovative tale set to be the future of modern cinema? Set in the Slums of Mumbai, the story follows 18-year-old orphan Jamal Malek and his endeavour to reunite with his lost love Latika in appearing on the Indian version of game show Who wants to be a Millionaire? Though, his unexpected knowledge lands him just one question away from an astounding 20 million rupees, he is taken under arrest on suspicion of cheating; how could a street-kid know the answers? In his desperation to prove his innocence, he recounts his life in the ghetto with his brother, and reveals how behind every chapter of his life lurks another answer to the show's questions. The compelling story seems to have not only connected to its audience through its originality, but also by the premise that even though Jamal comes from a devastatingly poor background, the money he is competing for is immaterial to him: his one and only driving passion remains to find his lost love. While the exceptional story is undoubtedly an essential factor in its success, the casting of the actors and direction is the very thing that depicts the story in such a raw and realistic manner. Everything about the film, from the setting and scenery to the unrefined characterisation makes the story simply feel real - it's as if the audience is a spectator at a genuine event. It is clear in this project that director Danny Boyle has gone the extra mile to create this authenticity: something that remains evident in each aspect of the film, such as in his casting where he took three of the youngest actors in the company directly from the slums. The strength of the actors enabled its believability, as he used an all-Indian cast with the exception of Dev Patel, who plays the oldest Jamal, and, despite the fact the performers had little or no training they embodied their characters with impeccable execution. Boyle was also adamant about shooting scenes directly in the streets, despite warnings from Bollywood professionals, and remained clear that the film would encompass the true India - with no frills or effects. Though I must say, for me, Slumdog is a welcome exception to standard cinema. It's an utterly unique story, which has triumphed through the potency of the performers and the stripped back authenticity, which is in sharp contrast with the mundane regenerated films we've come to know as the norm; relying on cheap jokes, expensive sets and CGI to keep the audience interested. It is with no surprise that the film has taken such a surge into success, given its competition is mostly the archetypal Hollywood blockbuster -the underdog even outbid these star-ridden films in most award ceremonies. So is this cultural chronicle to be the start of a filming epidemic? It begs the question whether we are to see more like it, exploring the unknown world of a diverse and rich culture, and abolishing our pre-conceived notions. It is a film teaching us the universal theme that anything is possible, and that in our terrorist-fearing, celebrity-worshipping country, that maybe we have lost track of what is important.