Happiness For Blessing

It is now 5 days until the 81st Academy Awards are presented. Every day until then, I will review one of the films nominated for Best Picture. On Sunday, I'll do a recap and choose which of the nominees I believe is most deserving. There are possible spoilers here, but I've done my best not to ruin the film.

Slumdog Millionaire is widely considered by the media, and more importantly, Nate Silver, to be the favorite to take home Best Picture on Sunday. I knew this going in, which is usually a bad thing for my enjoyment factor - if I expect good things from a flick, I am likely to be let down. My theology professor Randy Harris would say, "Low expectations, few disappointments." Yet despite my raised level of expectation, SM was a great joy to experience. In other words, I have very little negative to say about this movie.

Like its title, Slumdog Millionaire is a study in contrast. Protagonist Jamal Malik's slumdog-ishness is established in the presence of a Bollywood star and even in settings such as the Taj Mahal and (of course) the set of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" It is in the live broadcast of this game show that the fundamental question, "What can a slumdog possibly know?" is initially asked, and in the police station where Malik is interrogated that it is answered. (The answer is, "The answers.") The story is driven by the game show, but the background story of how Malik knows these answers is what makes this movie the great commentary that it is.

It would have been easy for any film tackling the subject of poverty and oppression in India to fall into pretentiousness and get preachy, and indeed many have done just that. SM, though, makes no pretense at all. It is predictable. If you don't know what the million dollar question will be by the midpoint of the film, you haven't watched many movies at all. In fact, the movie practically tells you from the beginning that yes, there will be a happy ending, but no, it won't be an easy journey. The beauty is that Boyle is able to balance this typical Hollywood/Bollywood formula with the dissonance that pervades the film. There is a prevailing attitude that slumdogs such as Jamal shouldn't know things, or for that matter, have a shot at romantic love. There are so many levels here (Jamal vs. his brother Salim, Jamal & Salim vs. the men that run the orphanage, etc. etc.), but I want to leave you to find some of them on your own.

The only criticism I have been able to come up with (and I have tried) is based on a plot device. In order to make the story work, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" was broadcast in real time, meaning the "Phone A Friend" lifeline could have been severely abused. Also, it is my understanding that in real life the show is taped. If that really bothers you, I understand, but it doesn't really affect my enjoyment of the movie.

I've been speaking solely of plot elements and storytelling devices, but to neglect SM's production value would be a crime. The editing is tight, the cinematography is beautiful, and the score is beyond excellent. The story is basically told in 3 stages of Malik's life, so that means the 3 main characters, Jamal, Salim, and Jamal's love interest, Latika, are each portrayed by 3 actors. All 9 do a wonderful job, especially Dev Patel (older Jamal), Ayush Mahesh Khedekar (younger Jamal), and Tanvi Ganesh Lonkar (middle Latika). Overall, I believe storytelling is its greatest strength, which should speak volumes. The story of 2 Indias is one that is not told often enough, and it is told masterfully here. 5/5 stars.