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FILM REVIEW: Slumdog Millionaire was the final answer Oscar night
Film Review: If you are one of the three or so people left on the planet who does not know anything about Slumdog Millionaire then this is for you.
I have to admit that I am suffering from a bit of Slumdog Millionaire fatigue after it received eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, at the 81st Annual Academy Awards ceremony. Of course it’s no wonder that I need a vacation after being bombarded for weeks, if not months, by a good campaign about how it was a magical rags-to-riches fairy tale.
Now, if you are one of the three or so people left on the planet who does not know anything about Slumdog Millionaire then the following is for you.
Jamal K. Malik (Dev Patel) is an 18-year-old Indian orphan sitting in a police station where he is being interrogated, sometimes brutally, by a police inspector who, along with the host of India’s version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor), believe he is a cheat.
As Jamal explains how he correctly answered each question, we are transported back to major events in his life in the slums that helped shape who he and his older brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) have become.
Throughout his life, Jamal has always loved Latika (Freida Pinto), another orphan who trailed along with Jamal and Salim when they were children. Jamal never forgets her and does everything he can to be with her despite the obstacles thrown in his way by local gangs, and by Salim who becomes a murderous thug.
Ultimately, the entire nation of India sits on the edge of its seat as the orphan boy from the slums attempts to answer the final question so he can become the nation’s newest millionaire.
What I walked away with after watching Slumdog Millionaire is that India, which is still emerging as a global economic superpower, has a long way to go before it is able to escape the boundless poverty that shackles many of its estimated 1.1 billion people. This of course sets the perfect backdrop for a love-conquers-all story about the triumph of the human spirit over seemingly insurmountable odds.
Even if it is a piece of fiction, Slumdog Millionaire proves that anything is possible in this world, no matter where you come from. This is fleshed out by a young cast that delivers many pleasant performances with a diverse range of emotions, but it’s the superb direction by Danny Boyle that makes this film Oscar worthy.
It is true that the story of how Boyle’s film became a movie at all almost mirrors what happens in the story itself. With an estimated production budget of $15 million, it was once thought to be headed for the straight-to-DVD market. Now it’s on top of the world with an estimated international gross of over $159 million and rising.
Now, did Slumdog Millionaire deserve to win? It did not receive one acting nomination but it’s not unprecedented for a film to get the biggest prize on Oscar night without scoring any acting nods. My own personal choice would have been The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but the Academy didn’t ask me.
I think I’m ready for that vacation now ...
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, Slumdog Millionaire receives an A-.
Slumdog Millionaire is rated R and has a running time of 120 minutes.
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Indie Film Editor
Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.
In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.
Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.
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