Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Director: Danny Boyle & Loveleen Tandan
Actors: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan
Overall:
I thought this movie was really great! It had everything I look for in a legitimate Oscar contender. A great story, dramatic cinematography, good acting, a little suspense, and a lot of passion. It's not often that we're confronted with the harsh realities of life in the slums of India and it's truly shocking to see all the poverty, but out of this hellish environment comes a beautiful love story. One which overcomes tremendous obstacles and reminds us how powerful love can be.
Plot:
This film centers around a teenager, Jamal, who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, but now finds himself on the Indian version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Following his remarkable run on the first night of the show, he's arrested under suspicion of cheating and interrogated about how a poor "slumdog" could know the answers to the questions. It's during this interrogation that events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers and why he's ventured onto the show in the first place.
Setting/Mood:
The cinematography in this film was truly spectacular. There were several points throughout this film that I was simply in awe. The juxtaposition between wealth and poverty, greed and sacrifice, and love and hate was very well done. There's a lot of beauty in India that's just underneath the surface and I think this film did a great job of peeling back the layers to reveal something really special.
Acting:
Although not recognized by the Academy, I thought the acting in this film was also really good. I was immediately drawn into the story by the child actors used to portray the lead characters when they're young and it carried right through 'til the end.
Recommendation:
I would highly recommend this film to everyone and I think it has a good chance of stealing the Best Picture category at the Oscars.
