Review: Slumdog Millionaire

It is a life changing moment for Jamel Malik (Dev Patel). He is on a stage about to answer a question that will make him rich beyond belief. But before he can make his million, he is taken in for cheating on the game. The Police Inspector (Irrfan Khan) attempts to find the truth, and how this young man has successfully cheated on the very popular game show. Finally, after suffering vicious abuse from the police department, Jamel tells his story. And oh what a story it is! How he knows each question is told in some of the most powerful and oftentimes heart wrenching tales. But beneath it all is a love story. A sweet and undying tale of never giving up on your destiny.

It is unnerving what Boyle accomplishes here. It sounds cliché, but this is truly one of those films where you may find yourself laughing out loud then crying the next. Both of the young actors who play brothers Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar) and Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail) are simply wonderful. When they lose their mother due to a violent attack, it is one of the most painful moments you could imagine. The imagery is filled with color and alive with sound. While there is one sequence early on that felt similar to TRAINSPOTTING, as the two young brothers are running from authorities, it is still nothing like he’s done before. In fact, so much of the film is overflowing with vitality and beauty. It is brimming with humor, horror and romance as destiny is possibly fulfilled.

The only downfall here is the name. Will audiences go see a movie entitled SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE? Yet it is incredibly apropos as it is about just that. A young man from the slums who is on his way to becoming a millionaire. But it is so much more complex than what you would expect. It is rich in style, and rich in character. While you may find that it is treading into melodrama for a bit, it is a very slight complaint. In fact, to tell this story, it would have to take on some melodramatic risks. Yet this young man’s journey is so engrossing, even when it feels a bit like a Shakespearean romance, that I can‘t imagine it told any other way. But boy does it help when the object of Jamal’s affection is the absolutely stunning Freida Pinto. Her performance as Latika is every bit as good as it should be. Every single character here helps brings this story to life.