Slumdog Millionaire
By Marshall Fine
Rating:
Who's in it: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto
What's it about: A young peasant in modern Mumbai is one question away from winning "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" - but no one will believe that he's not cheating.
Final answer: Young Jamal Malik (Patel) has grown up as a young hustler and low-grade criminal in the slums of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) - so how can he keep answering the questions on the TV quiz show? That's what a pair of cops want to know as they rough him up between shows, before the final question. Jamal's life is seen in flashback - a series of brutal encounters with poverty, an attempt to stay alive, an effort to go straight even when his brother goes to work for a gangster. And, of course, there's the girl he's loved all his life. Director Danny Boyle ("28 Days Later") captures the color, excitement and pathos of Jamal's life, creating startling contrasts with the glamour of the TV fortune he's on the verge of winning. It's soap-opera-like at times, but the swirl of romance and the color of the setting give it flavor and heart.
Long story short: You don't need a lifeline to enjoy this movie.
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