Slumdog Millionaire (#7)

I had high hopes for this movie. Everything I had heard had been positive, and people who I usually never talk movies with had been urging me to go see it. I also really enjoy the work of Danny Boyle, and think he is a film maker who has been making consistently good movies for a while now. Knowing that it did so well at the Golden Globes only added to my interest in seeing it. However, with so much going for it I was nervous that I was over hyping it in my mind, and setting myself up to be disappointed. Perhaps it’s a testament to how exceptional Slumdog Millionaire is that it delivered on all that hype.

The opening sequence drops you into the basic framing device for the movie, a young Indian male is doing quite well on his countries version of “Who wants to be a Millionaire”. The film quickly signals a grittier if not darker tone, by jumping in time to that same young man being tortured by the Indian police. From there the movie embraces the epic “in medias res” structure, as tried and true formula, drawn from literature (the Odyssey) and other films (Braveheart comes to mind). Doing so gives the whole movie a hopeful, fairytale type vibe. Even in the darkest, saddest moments I got the feeling the movie was building and building to a moment of triumph.

Thematically, I can’t think of a movie in recent memory that is a stronger statement for the idea of destiny or fate. Each detail of the movie is laid out in such a specific way, as if to suggest an underlying plan, connecting events over years, and physical distance. I was left wondering why, if not for the purpose of telling a compelling story, were these characters fated to suffer so much, before reaching a such a euphoric resolution.

Visually, Slumdog, combines the best of Danny Boyle’s work. The urban grittiness of Trainspotting, the frantic running action of 28 Days Later, and the fairytale sweetness of Millions, into a truly memorable and compelling mix. He also really has knack for working with child/young adult actors who all give solid performances. If anything some to the adult performances come across kind of over the top (I’m looking at you Indian Regis).

At the end of the movie, stay for the credits. Boyle keeps the high energy of the film going with a Bollywood style dance number that puts a emotional exclamation point on a really satisfying movie experience.