Slumdog is especially unique for its pseudo-episodic structure. The film is shown as a series of vignettes told from Jamal, the protagonist, to a security guard after he is accused of cheating in India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Each story is a separate entity, showing the guard exactly how Jamal came to learn the answer to each question. At the same time, though, each mini-story is a plot point in the story of Jamal's life: an epic journey with his brother, as they search for fame, money, and love. Intercut with these scenes are clips of Jamal in the hot seat, answering questions on the show. These multiple layers are all happening at once, but all directly relate to Jamal's search for Latika, his long lost love. Even though the narrative is mostly comprised of flashbacks, they are laid out in a cohesive, dynamic way that keeps you dying to experience the resolution. And the resolution, mind you, is mind-blowing.
This goes without mentioning the performances, which, though casted with mostly unknown actors, were all expressive, friendly, and charming. Dev Patel plays his very first Hollywood role as Jamal, and to great success. Every action and reaction is nuanced with character and realism. The amazing thing, though, is that Jamal's two younger incarnations (the film's story spans about a decade) also have large roles in the narrative, and yet, still carry the mannerisms and personality of the older Jamal quite well.Sadly, I can't offer much negative criticism for the piece. Being completely immersed in Jamal's journey, I shed all disbelief while the movie shattered my expectations. I am willing to bet, though, that even the most hardened film critic would be forgiving of any shortcomings simply for the film's sheer charm and humble themes. Slumdog is treat, an inspiration, and an amazing showcase of art all in one. And these days, no one can deny how rarely we can say that about a film.
In my opinion, this review does a good job expressing many of the reasons that Slumdog Millionaire is deserving of the many Academy Awards it received. However, I felt that a few important elements were not touched upon. The most important of which is the thematic cohesiveness of the film. The theme which can be simply expressed as "It is wriitten," is the driving force behind everything in the film and is embodied in the film's final visual montage. Every moment of Jamal's life was leading up to the moment that he and Latika are finally able to be together.
ReplyDeleteThe film's narrative structure certainly felt fresh, but City of God which came out a few years earlier follows a similar structure. Although this may be coincidence, it feels as if it may have been lifted. Either way, the film did a great job in both telling a story and expressing the theme.
I am the type of person who tries to see a film regardless of its scale; whether it be a big Hollywood blockbuster or artsy Indie. I heard early on about how good Slumdog was. What first grabbed my attention was the title: this great title made me want to watch Slumdog Millionaire over all the other films out at that time.
ReplyDeleteI loved it the first time I saw it and its still amazing after seeing it for the 8th time. I spread the word, and brought many people to see it. Most of the people I know enjoyed Slumdog but there were two that flat out just did not like it. One person didn’t care about it and could not give me a reason why other than he did not like the dance moves of the Bollyhood number at the end. The other said that she did not like the ending. I understand how one could have problems with the conclusion, but for me it worked. It is both art and audience pleasing, and that is a very difficult thing to achieve.
One aspect of the film that I really appreciated was the layer of documentary-like realism within the story. The three sets of young actors were amazing whenever I get the opportunity I still recommend Slumdog, and I’m always ready to see it again.
Filmroos
For me the best part of this film was sharing in the experience of exploring the protagonist memories. The ability to portray the entire life of a character, and its context to the central conflict instilled some serious affection for the little guy. I must openly admit to being the guy who doesn’t like feature films with the exception of documentaries, however this put some faith back in the industry for me. Every aspect of the film seemed so committed to telling the story of the main character that, despite the occasional and overt big budget display, the work is clearly committed to a quality of entertainment too infrequent in mainstream cinema. Best (and only) new release I’ve seen this year!
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