I can till today tell you about the hype that came with Slumdog Millionaire a long time ago. Slumdog Millionaire was soo big during its time, it was on all media outlets and yeah it was that big.
The movie is about Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of Mumbai, appears on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and somehow manages to answer question after question correctly. The problem is that nobody believes him. How could a young man from the slums possibly know all these answers? Oww the scenario wherein he’s answering the questions blends perfectly with the flashbacks of his life. The movie is a masterpiece, it depicts how cinema can transend cultures and borders.
I mean each question takes us back into Jamal's past. Instead of simply telling us his life story, the movie uses the quiz show as a way of moving through his childhood, his relationship with his brother Salim, and his complicated relationship with Latika. Every answer has a story behind it, and some of those stories are incredibly difficult to watch. He didn't know the answers because he was a genius. He knew them because he had lived them. Its like you are watching to stories unfold at the same time but both are intertwined.
The movie also does a good job of showing the contrast between the glamorous world of the television show and the reality Jamal comes from. Its like two sides of a coin, one minute we are watching bright lights, huge amounts of money and an enthusiastic audience, and the next we are back in the slums, seeing the circumstances that shaped him. The movie doesn't present poverty as some beautiful journey as is done often time in modern day movies. No, it portrays rawness of growing up in the slums, Jamal and his brother Salim grow up in circumstances where being vulnerable was dangerous, and that affects both of them in very different ways. Salim in particular is an interesting character because he becomes almost the opposite of Jamal, both brothers experience many of the same terrible things, but they respond to them differently. Jamal remains hopeful and somewhat idealistic, while Salim becomes much more willing to do whatever is necessary to survive. I wouldn't necessarily call either of them completely good or bad, because their circumstances clearly shaped who they became, but it got me thinking about the nature vs nurture argument, i dont want to go too deep into the argument as this is a short review but I think Slumdog Millionaire does a good job of showing that people are often a product of both. Two brothers can go through the same experiences and still come out completely different on the other side. Jamal chooses hope, Salim chooses survival.
Then there is Latika, the relationship between Jamal and Latika is basically the emotional centre of the movie. I can still remember the sound or song in the movie, jai la hooo!!!!!!!. Their lives keep separating and coming back together, and Jamal's determination to find her is what gives the whole story its emotional direction, i must say i was so emotional watching this film. I also really liked the performances. Dev Patel was still relatively early in his career when this came out, and i think this is the movie that really propelled him to stardom as an actor. The supporting cast also does a great job, that must be said.
I dare say Mumbai almost becomes another character in the movie. The contrast between the crowded streets, the slums and the television studio and the wealthier parts of the city gives the movie a constantly changing visual identity, kinda reminds me of Lagos city. I wont say the movie is a realistic documentary about someone's life, It is more of a modern fairy tale and once you accept that, some of the unbelievable parts become easier to appreciate.
I also think the movie walks an interesting line when portraying poverty. There has been plenty of criticism over the years about how India and its slums are represented, and I can understand where that criticism comes from. There is a tendency in Western cinema to turn extreme poverty into a dramatic backdrop for an inspirational story. At the same time, I don't think the movie is simply saying that poverty is beautiful or that suffering is somehow necessary for success. If anything, a lot of what happens to Jamal and the other children is horrifying precisely because it shows how easily vulnerable people can be exploited.
After you watch Slumdog Millionaire you will understand why it was a big deal when it first came out, it is definitely worth the hype and more!
Rating: 90/100
