Slumdog Millionaire is the story of Jamal, a street urchin living on the ragged streets of Mumbai. Jamal, as an adult, has just reached the final question on India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. But accused of being a cheater due to his impoverished background, he is whisked away by the police and interrogated Dick Cheney-style to find out how he was able to answer all these questions when nobody else gets very far.
The genius of this film is all in the framing, as each question posed to Jamal takes us to a flashback of a time in his life in which the answer to the question was relevant. At it's core, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is not a game of trivia. It's really a game of luck and happenstance I guess is the right word. It's all about whether or not you have a connection with these selected questions, and not necessarily about how smart you are. Slumdog gets that idea perfectly. Some vignettes are more effective than others, but all provide a unique look into Jamal's troubled but fateful life.
Throughout his life, Jamal is the counter balance to his conniving and scheming brother Salim. As children, the two imagined themselves as two of the Three Musketeers. Eventually they would find their third when during a Muslim massacre they pick up another stray in the form of Latika, a quiet little girl whom Jamal instantly takes a liking to. Latika would be the catalyst for practically every action Jamal takes during the course of his life, but she also serves to be a divisive figure between he and Salim. One of the things the film does well is that Jamal, altruistic as he clearly is, has a bit of a scoundrel in him too. There's a little bit of a player buried deep inside, but he's grounded by a fierce desire to help others ahead of himself. Salim on the other hand, is selfish and soon gets mixed up with some of the seedier elements in town.
The film jumps around to various points in their lives, as the two brothers grow further apart, interspersed with scenes of Salim being interrogated by a police chief played reasonably well by the great Irrfan Khan. I gotta admit to being slightly disappointed in Khan's performance. He's been so good in everything from The Warrior to The Namesake that I always expect brilliance. Here his scenes kinda fall flat, and in particular his final scene with Jamal I don't think was ever truly earned in any way. But that's not a reflection on Khan's acting than it is the script. Changes of heart for characters like his require a lot of work to be believed, and I don't think the movie does quite enough to justify it here.
The film's authentic look and feel can be attributed to Boyle and crew filming in the actual megaslums and shantytowns of Mumbai, a dangerous practice under the best of circumstances. Filming in those areas has all but disappeared as reports of violence and theft against filmmakers have become more common. Every moment feels real and genuine, whether it be on the dusty, dirty streets or on the set of Millionaire. I've never heard of the guy who played the host of the show, but he was great here. Reminded me of Regis Philbin in the way he could simultaneously be appealing and condescending in the same breath. His arc in this film wasn't totally unexpected but I didn't care. Following Jamal's fateful path to his life's one true purpose, with all the death and heartache he had to endure, made me hate all of those who stood in his way. This is very much a film about destiny, and it's hard not to get wrapped up in Jamal's story thanks to the performances by all of the actors who played him as a child, a teenager, and as an adult.
Forgetting for a second that it's hard for me to admit when Danny Boyle has made a bad film(The Beach...was....okay....aargh!!), I have to say that Slumdog Millionaire might just be his crowning achievement up to this point in an already stellar career. Slumdog is totally unique, brutal to watch at times but so full of hope at it's core. Run right out and see it right now, that is my final answer!
8/10
