Based on the novel by Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), An Orphan from the slums of Mumbai who grows up to break the bank on the Indian version of the popular game show ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’? He is one question away from the top prize when he is arrested on suspicion of cheating and has to explain to the police how an uneducated street orphan could possibly know the answers and so we are treated to the tale of his childhood and what he learned from his life experiences from the early days when he met ‘Latika’, the girl he loved and lost to how he came to be on the show in the first place.
Having already been nominated and won loads of awards it’s fair to say there was a lot of hype surrounding SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and sometimes with that hype there is a danger that you’ll ultimately be let down as you were expecting a master class in cinema. Not being my preferred genre of movie I was able to disassociate from all the hype and sit down to watch it as a complete neutral. Yes, I loved Danny Boyle’s previous work like 28 DAYS LATER and TRAINSPOTTING but that doesn’t mean I’d watch just anything he made.
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is an exquisite rags- to-riches fairytale, which tells of the hardship of the people in the Slums of Mumbai. At times it can be desperately dark and gritty and then it can be happy and upbeat. Whilst the tale may seem far-fetched sometimes that’s why we go to see movies - we need escapism and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE offers just that and more. It’s the feel good movie of 2008 and for that I can’t recommend it highly enough.
As well as Danny Boyle’s brilliant directing and Simon Beufoy screenplay there are also some strong performances from the young cast especially Dev Patel who gives a mature performance as the lead star, so much so you actually care what happens to him.
Easily one of, if not the best movies of 2008 (yes I know it hit UK screens in 2009!) SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE is now my personal favourite of 2008. As far as I’m concerned they can now give Danny Boyle a blank chequebook and let him make whatever they hell he likes. One request from me first though as a horror geek – 28 MONTHS LATER please...
Date: 11/01/2009
Rating: 5/5
Copyright ©2009 Rough Cut Reviews.
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