Slumdog Millionaire

The critically acclaimed, eight times Oscar winning film, the brainchild of British director Danny Boyle and Indian co-director Loveleen Tandan, hit screens in the UK with an unbelievable force when it was released on January 9.

With so much hype, I was unsure whether it would live up to my expectations. I did not want to be disappointed by a film that had been picked apart and had the tastiest bits slapped on its trailer so I knew what was going to happen before I even paid for my ticket. Nor did I want to go, settle down and find the film had completely missed my expectations and I walked away feeling I would never be able to watch Boyle's great such as 'Trainspotting' in the same way again. Fortunately, this was not the case.

As I settled down with a close friend at my side, someone who is possibly even more critical on films than me, we slid back in our chairs and waited in anticipation while the trailers rolled through.

I'd built up quite a collection of opinions and expectations about the film from people who had seen it already, heard reviews and even my Nanny who, like myself had watched Jonathan Ross and had been won over by Dev Patel and his 'quirky good looks' as she described it.

As the movie began I felt a little anxious. Could this film really be worth all the hype? Could a Brit-flick really bowl over so many critics?

A) No.

B) You might as well walk out now.

C) A Brit-flick? Never.

D) Absolutely.

The opening scene which oozed suspense. Jamal K. Malik (Dev Patel), an 18 year old orphan from the Mumbai slums has been arrested on suspicion of cheating after reaching the 20 million rupee question on the Indian version of 'Who wants to be a millionaire'.

The opening scene offers the audience this question:

"Jamal Malik is one question away from winning 20 million rupees. How does he do it?
A) He cheated.
B) He’s lucky.
C) He’s a genius.
D) It is destiny."

The answer is not revealed.

In a desperate attempt to try to prove his innocence Jamal tells inspectors his life story. First we are taken back to Jamal's life in Mumbai when he is asked about Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, one of his idols. While Jamal explains that this question was simple the others have been chance helped by events in his life that have meant he knows the answer to the question he has been asked.

The film rockets the viewer on an emotional journey.
As an audience we witness:
The death of Jamal's mother in Hindu-Muslim riots.
The encounter and adventures with Latika, who is to become the love of Jamal's life.
Encounters with violent gangsters.
The growth in independence of Jamal and his brother from the slums of Mumbai, to living and travelling on top of trains, to pick pocketing and acting as tour guides at the Taj Mahal.
The introduction to Salim's involvement in crime and the devastating effect it has on the relationship between Jamal and Latika.

Each phase of his life holds the answer to a question he is asked on the game show.

However, as an audience, we are left wandering what an 18 year old orphan from Mumbai, with no apparent want for such a vast amount of money, is doing on the show?

With help from Latika and Salim, Jamal goes on to answer the final question. With sixty million viewers watching and praying for Jamal, the right answer changes both his life and the dreams of others in an instant.

Leaving the audience with the answer to the question posed in the beginning.

D) It is destiny.

I think I will choose D for my questions too...
Could this film really be worth all the hype? Could a Brit-flick really bowl over so many critics?
D) Absolutely.


Slumdog Millionaire mixes love, tragedy and humor with amazing results. - 8/10