In 2004, Danny Boyle directed one of the most charming family films in ages called MILLIONS. Now he has another film with million in the title and it's as equally charming. Mix Charles Dickens with the Brazilian gangster film CITY OF GOD and sprinkle a Bollywood epic all over it and you'll get a sense of the flavor of this film.
Jamal Malik (Dev Patel, TV's SKINS) is on the verge of winning 20 million rupees on the Indian version of WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? However, because he is a poor boy from the streets, the arrogant host Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor, TAAL) is convinced the young man is cheating. So a police inspector (Irfan Khan, THE NAMESAKE) uses some harsh interrogation techniques to force out a confession. When Jamal proclaims that he knew the answers, we flashback to his childhood, learning how it was written that his life experiences would lead up to this defining moment in the spotlight.
As a child Jamal lived in the slums with his cruel older brother Salim. When they end up orphans on the street, it is the kind Jamal whom takes in the orphan girl Latika. They are calling themselves the three musketeers, when a more nefarious version of Dickens' Fagin preys on the young children, forcing them to use their street smarts time and time again to survive. Salim relies on his might; Jamal uses his mind to win. During their rough life on the streets, they will be split up over and over again, but Jamal never loses his love for Latika, whom grows up to look like the gorgeous actress Freida Pinto.
Based on Vikas Swarup's novel and adapted by FULL MONTY scribe Simon Beaufoy, the plot is very conventional when one strips away its "exotic" location and occasional subtitles, which are done in a new exciting away. The game show adds natural tension while you also have two lovers torn apart by fate. But, it's the details that make this film so wonderful. The filmmakers take the conventional and twist it with wit and irony. Jamal was a good kid who had a crummy life and the film makes us root for him. Like the WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? TV show, the film is wish fulfillment. The joyous Bollywood dance number during the credits is the perfect note to end on. If you think that gives away whether the film will end happily or not, it doesn't. This film isn't about whether Jamal will win, but how his destiny will play out. Like I said, it's all in the details.
In chronicling the lives of Jamal and Salim, the film also captures the changing landscape of India from its harsh slums to its modern technological boom. This environment adds a vibrancy to every scene. Set to the beat of a wonderful Indian and hip-hop infused soundtrack, this film is truly alive. It's genuinely puts a smile on your face that doesn't leave. While the film did receive an R rating for some tough scenes of extreme poverty, child abuse, torture and child prostitution, nothing is too gratuitous that a mature 15 year old couldn't handle. It is written that this is one of the best films of the year. And that's my final answer.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
