In Progress

I got to watch an advance screening of Danny Boyle’s latest, Slumdog Millionaire, a couple of weeks ago. First of all, I am a huge Danny Boyle fan — there is something in his incredibly humane worldview in every one of his films that just captivates me. Even when he is dealing with horrific material — and he certainly likes to work in horror — there are pure, almost transcendent moments in every one of his films. Sometimes it works better than others (Sunshine was kind of a mess in terms of story and tone, I must say). But with Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle expands to a global landscape that is the perfect match for his universal vision. I love that he’s contributing to the global culture that is poised to overtake American pop culture in the 21st century. My take on the film and the official trailer after the jump.

As the film opens, we see Jamal Malik, an Indian teenager, being tortured. His interrogaters want to know: how did he cheat to advance to the final round of the Indian version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” To find out how he knew the answers, we see flashbacks from Jamal’s life growing up in the slums of Mumbai that weave a tale of poverty, living by your wits, romance, family, and gangsters — all the classic elements of a Bollywood film (and yes, many American films). We see Jamal, his older brother Salim, and childhood friend Latika as they grow and navigate life on the streets. It’s romanticised at times to be sure, but there are many moments of intense violence and cruelty that rip through the visual beauty to show the pain underneath.

Boyle’s technicolor palette is perfectly suited to the colorful tale, and the storytelling is set at a furious pace, reflecting the chaotic, boisterous life of the main characters. There isn’t a moment of down time in the tightly woven story that jumps through time and place and a suspenseful game show for two hours, and superb editing brings you back and forth without a mental hitch. Humor and wit characterize the dialogue, although there are plenty of moments of drama to offset the comedy. We also get to see amazing street scenes in Bombay as the city grows into Mumbai, including one breakneck chase on foot that I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it was to film.

The music is in general great — wonderfully syncopated and effortlessly integrated, with a couple of MIA tracks to keep things knowingly current. I did get a little tired of the love theme, which comes back again and again, but I know many watchers won’t mind that at all. The other weakness in the film for me is in the casting. It’s a monumental task for sure, to cast three actors for each of the three main characters to portray different ages. And each age gets enough screen time that there needs to be considerable continuity in looks and gestures to make it work. The only one of the three main characters that works seamlessly for me is Salim, who shines at every age. But Latika’s complexion lightens from young teen to late teen so much that it seems unbelievable, and her whole face looks quite different from the previous actors. I couldn’t help but suspect that the Indian standards of beauty, which call for lighter complexions, interfered with the casting process here to the detriment of the film. It called to mind the 1999 movie The Wood, which had a similar visual shock at the end, when the love interest lost her rather aggressive eyebrows in adulthood. I couldn’t really make the leap then, and it’s similarly hard to here. But the cast is extremely strong, particularly Anil Kapoor as the urbane and genial host of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” who knows the perfect joke to make for every occasion.

But I loved it. Yes, it gets super cheesy, but that’s a good portion of its charm, and a sign that the film is meant to appeal to a global Bollywood-loving audience. And there’s a present for you in the end credits that serves as a wink and nudge to the over-the-top emotional state you might be left in. I left with a huge smile, as did everyone else I saw walking out of the theatre.

For some interesting insights from Danny Boyle and his leading man about the film, check out this piece from the SF Chronicle.

Posted on November 5th, 2008 by DeepthiW
Filed under: Global Culture, Movies, Uncategorized