Slumdog Millionaire is not what you would think it was from watching the trailers. For one thing there is no musical numbers during the film, only during the end credits. Slumdog is a gritty look at the seedier side of India. I have liked Bollywood films for years but I can’t honestly call Slumdog a traditional Bollywood film. Slumdog is a good film but it doesn’t live up to hype of the Oscars. Danny Boyle’s direction is confusing and at times the editing causes continuity problems. The subtitles are strange and bouncing all over the screen. Even with all these problems this is a good film made better by the three actors who play Jamal. The two little boys who play the character Jamal at a younger age, Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail are just wonderful. Dev Patel who plays the same character grown up is a remarkable actor with a bright future ahead of him. Slumdog is Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language. The disturbing images are of child mutilations, sex between children and child trafficking. This is a graphically disturbing film and I cannot recommend it for anyone under 17. Watch this one after the kids have gone to bed. mom scale ☆☆☆ ½
Synopsis from IMDB:
Eighteen year old Jamal Malik is having an amazing answering streak on “Kaun Banega Crorepati?” (2000), the Indian version of the television game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (1998). He’s only one correct question away from the big prize. However, some, including those associated with the game show, question how someone like Jamal, a self confessed non-genius who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, can be doing so well on the show when others who are brighter, more educated and wealthier than him have failed. Is Jamal cheating? Is it purely luck that they have asked him the questions to which he knows the answers? Seeing Jamal’s life journey to this point ultimately answers these questions. His life journey includes being orphaned at an early age; growing up with an older brother, Salim, who was both his guardian/protector and antagonist; and having a relationship since childhood with another orphaned child, a girl named Latika. His motivation for being on the show also may provide some answers to his success. Perhaps it was all just meant to be. Written by Huggo
