I want to be a ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008)

There are a precious few movies that I once planned to see and review, but never got around to doing. Some of which I look back and honestly can’t believe I didn’t. One of them being a movie I have heard great things about and even won several awards. I had it ready to review plenty of times, but just lost track of time, it is “Slumdog Millionaire“!

Reality shows are sometimes so incredibly famous they can be found on all corners of the earth. We already know “American Idol” is pretty much, if not, in every country. The same goes for “America’s Got Talent“. All they do is change the country. Back in the day, I remember when “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” was the most watched reality game show on air. It is still on, but you’re lucky to find it switching through channels. This movie is more or less about the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire“

This film, like many others, open somewhere towards the end of the film. Jamal is one question away from winning the show and is being interrogated and tortured by the police who suspect him of cheating, because no “slumdog” can possibly be smart enough to know all the answers.  It then goes into flashback mode to inform us on how he got to this point.

Each question,  Jamal seemed to have some kind of a personal experience that helped him answer the questions asked. This part of the movie made it what it was, as it suggests that he never needed to study for possible questions, because he has learned everything he needed to know just by living through the troubling life that he did. At the same time, the audience might be thinking that it’s a bit convenient for him to have learned every single answer from life experiences.

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So more or less, this film is more about Jamal’s life story and the hardships he went through in the slums. That story on its own is incredibly well done and believable, but having all of the Millionaire questions coincide with everything he has been through *in chronological order* is a little much for me. I mean it’s almost as if producers of the show followed Jamal around his whole life, and tested him on his knowledge, in order of when it happened. It’s interesting, don’t get me wrong, but I have to dock in points for being far fetched.

 There is something monumental that can’t be ignored, though. Apart from the questions seemingly being asked in accordance to his life story, the overall story itself is something I have never seen in a movie, period.  There is so much originality to it that it is staggering. It is a fun and exciting movie, for sure. Both storylines that are being played out are inviting, making us want the best to happen to Jamal, in both instances.

 The acting is fantastic, both in the flashbacks and in the present, making the audience truly believe that the younger and older versions of the character are one in the same persons. The emotions are very well portrayed, which helps the audience get that much more involved in rooting Jamal on. The writing  positively ties everything together in a seamless transition. In the end, there is more positives at play than negatives.

 Overall, I am very happy that I finally got around to watching this film. There are others in the list of movies I haven’t seen yet, and I’m sure I’ll get to them soon enough, but until then, peace out.