Despite the flesh-ripping wind, the group went out to see Danny Boyle's latest, Slumdog Millionaire on Friday night. I really like Danny Boyle films--from Shallow Grave to Trainspotting to 28 Days Later. Hell, I even like A Life Less Ordinary, despite the prescence of Cameron Diaz. I had purposefully not watched a trailer for the film since I'd already read so much about it, I didn't want to be spoiled further. The National Board of Review named Slumdog best film of the year earlier in the week, so I had to go. (Check out their other winners too.)
So, to the movie. As a film school brat, I watch films differently then most people and because of that, I was able to enjoy technique as much as plot when watching the film. A lot of things that I have learned about this semester were applied, in terms of sound and editing to match scene transitions especially. I won't give away much, but the film is about "slumdog" Jamal, a street kid from Mumbai who grows up living the shittiest life imaginable. Even the footage of India chosen for the film is rough--garbage everywhere, general filth, and poverty.
Anyways, the basic plot follows Jamal as he is on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire," but interwoven with that are scenes of Jamal and his older brother Salim as children in Mumbai as they try to survive, how Jamal found the answers to the game show, and after the show as he is accused of cheating. I wasn't impressed by the plot from early reviews, but through editing and script, the story becomes really compelling. And of course there is a love story in there too, as Jamal pines for Latika, the girl he grew up with.
Jamal is played by Dev Patel, and the rest of the cast are total unknowns as well, which will keep a lot of people from seeing the film. Don't. Go see it as soon as you can. Your heart will be happy at the end, your spirits lifted. It made me cry, which isn't the easiest task for films. A lot of awards contenders are equivalent to a kick in the guts (Atonement anyone?) but this is finally an uplifting film with a really good chance at the Oscars. It is very Dickensian, both funny and sad, but totally worth seeing. Everyone loves a good heartwarmer, and this is it. And the music kicks ass--MIA with traditional Indian music, "Paper Planes" being featured prominently.
Danny Boyle, you haven't let me down yet.
***
Katydid's Official List of Films she needs to see before the Oscars: Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Revolutionary Road, The Reader,Frost/Nixon, and The Edge of Heaven.
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