Slumdog Millionaire

I know I know.. everyone has seen Slumdog. Well guess what? not me. I wanted to see it when it was still in its indie release. As the momentum grew, it started to push me off the movie rather than entice me. After the Oscar win for Best Picture, I said okay, I'll queue it on Netflix. Everyone I knew was shocked that I hadn't seen the movie and then the backlash began. Many folks who saw the movie during its hype started expressing their lack luster reviews to me. I said, ok, now I have a balance of opinion to judge the movie on its own merit. So what did I think?

Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors. Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Sunshine are amazing films within their genres. They all contain this energy that only Danny could truly create. Slumdog is no exception.

The cinematography and directing are beautiful. The frantic camera work and thumping score delivers the reality of the slums. The highlight of the entire movie is really the young actors who portray their older counterparts. These are talented children who sadly have been caught in a real life mess due to their global fame. Dev Patel and Frida Pinto are wonderful actors. They have a genuine chemistry that shines through.

Although the film seems to be grounded in reality, there are some moments of melodrama that didn't quite work for me. In fact, one scene ruined some of what I was feeling for the characters. I know it was done deliberately to get the story moving but it felt abrupt. I can see why it won best picture. It was a story of love and overcoming the odds set against an environment most have never seen or experienced. It has an originality that set it apart from the other nominees.
My Grade: B+