Danny Boyle successfully adapts a little-known novel to create a compelling story that is tremendously enjoyed by many. So does that make Slumdog Millionaire the best film of the year?
Perhaps. Well, at least I had fun. Despite the fact that I wanted to vomit during the first thirty minutes, I wanted to see how the story would turn out.
Not Really. There was too much sensory overload. The direction was overdone and I felt that the game show presentation of the film was a gimmick. It could symbolize the collective attention deficit disorder faced by society but I don’t think so. I would have preferred to see the cast’s reaction to certain moments instead of being inundated with countless flashbacks in case I had forgotten what happened fifteen minutes ago.
Sorta. The film certainly illustrated the gap between rich and poor in today’s world. The slums of Mumbai are overrun with development and an indigent youth wins twenty million Rupees because of an esoteric selection of questions that matches up exactly with the traumatic events in his life. Winning the game show prize is secondary to finding true love for the protagonist’s happiness.
Something Lacking. Some have said that crimes committed by the impoverished characters should are justified because of the appalling circumstances in which they live. What exactly did Jamal Malik do to become sympathetic aside from having a crush on a girl and falling someone in the middle of the good and evil spectrum relative to others in the film? The film portrays him as the only righteous person in a sea of people who are at least somewhat morally corrupt. Jamal could work as a tragic hero who participates in situations that are so shocking that alternate between absurdly comical and intensely heartbreaking but Dev Patel lacks the ability to pull the audience in.
I’m Not Yet Convinced. Although the Best Picture Oscar is occasionally awarded to spectacles, such as Titanic or Return of the King, there are often instances of a lesser, low-key film triumphing over a more widely seen favourite, such as Crash over Brokeback Mountain and Dances with Wolves over Goodfellas. Slumdog Millionaire left me feeling less than fulfilled afterwards: I have seen films with better direction and performances (Frost/Nixon and Milk) that are also nominated in this category. Shouldn’t that count for something? ***