A family-friendly musical and horror film sequel may be dominating the box office, but it’s the story of an underdog that should merit the most attention. When Jamal Malik, a young man from the slums of India, is just one question away from winning his country’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, he is arrested on suspicion of cheating. To prove his innocence, Jamal relates pivotal moments of his life to each answered question and reveals his calamitous past. Poignant, visually dynamic and often horrifically brutal, the film and its backdrop of decrepit slums clash powerfully with Jamal’s pure spirit and his never-ending search for his childhood sweetheart.
Director Danny Boyle expertly maneuvers the members of his cast, many of whom have no previous acting experience, but whose heartfelt expressions and charming mannerisms manage to surpass the believability of their Hollywood counterparts. The characters are carefully crafted and complex: a game show host publicly celebrates Jamal’s success but privately aims to destroy such a threat to his own celebrity, and a benefactor rescues orphans from the street but provides them with a questionable life. Jamal’s brother Salim embodies the film’s most perplexing figure: a seemingly irredeemable villain whose sporadic but immensely heroic deeds depict his moral confusion. Slumdog Millionaire may not be a rainbows-and-sunshine spectacle, but its emotional richness speaks to its hidden luster. For a bonus treat, sit through the credits to watch an unexpected Bollywood-style song and dance number.
