Thursday, January 8, 2009

Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Maybe I just like India. I enjoyed the trip there last year, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to take a group there this year as well. And with all that's happened there lately, every time I read BBC news I check up on India, to make sure they're okay. All that to say, this review may be a bit partial.

Some viewers may be put off by heavy accents and a healthy helping of subtitles. If those are hurdles, climb over them and you have a good story.

Most of Slumdog Millionaire takes place in Mubaii. While it's different than and a good distance from where I've been/am going, having been in the country helped eliminate certain questions, such as why is an Indian game show in English? Now I know, so I'm happy.

It's told with flashbacks and flash forwards, yet doesn't feel suspiciously like an episode of Lost. I'm thankful for that.

It follows a young man through a rough life, struggling to find a better way to survive than his brother. The movie cuts between that and the first young man all grown up on an Indian version of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. Nobody expects him to win because he's a nobody. And... cue suspenseful music... watch it and find out.

This is a good story, and it's unapologetically optimistic, overall. It makes the list of three I have with The Dark Knight and Wall E as one of the best this year. I love the fact that some of the best movies this year have a glimmer of hope to them. Hopefully, the trend will catch on.

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