‘Slumdog’ stands as a marvel of storytelling

By ANDY CARROLL
LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL
Every once in a while, a new movie arrives bearing an experience so refreshing and rewarding that it’s hard to describe its power in words.
“Slumdog Millionaire” is the latest of that type of movie.
Set in contemporary India, the film is the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an 18-year-old who grew up in the slums of Mumbai. When we first see Jamal, he is being tortured by police inspectors. The reason? That night, Jamal appeared on the Indian version of the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and won 10 million rupees, with only one question remaining for the grand prize of 20 million rupees, an unprecedented event.
As we find out later — thanks to the nonlinear fashion in which the story is told — the host of the show believes there’s no way this “slumdog” could have made it so far without cheating.
But as Jamal assures the inspectors he didn’t cheat. He didn’t need a formal education to know the answers; he knew them because of life experiences. He also assures the detectives that his reason for appearing on the show had nothing to do with money.
The reasons he knew the answers — as well as his intention for being on the show — are revealed through his life story. After being orphaned, he and his brother Salim shared a close relationship with each other as well with an orphan girl named Latika.
Throughout the years, the brothers go from working for exploitative businessmen as children to scamming tourists at the Taj Mahal as teenagers to the brothers’ separation when Salim (Madhur Mittal) decides to work for one of Mumbai’s top gangsters.
Throughout this time, Latika (Freida Pinto) remains constantly on Jamal’s mind. Over the years, he loses her and gets her back time and time again. It becomes clear that she is the motivation for his actions because, as he says, she is his destiny.
Jamal (Ayush Mohammed Ismail and Tanay Chheda as the character in his younger years) portrays one of the easiest protagonists to pull for in quite some time. He’s such an earnest and endlessly determined character in spite of the adversity that he faces that sympathy comes all too easily. The combination of the tribulations he faces and his likeability make it tough not to root for him to fulfill what he believes to be his destiny.
“Slumdog” stands as a marvel of storytelling. The events of Jamal’s life — as well as revelations made during his interrogation — are paralleled with the questions on the show. This approach, though a little hokey on paper, works extraordinarily well.
As the tension increases on the show, so does the drama in the flashbacks. Though you know Jamal will make it all the way to the final question, you remain on the edge of your seat thanks to the compelling story being told in flashback.
But as a rags-to-riches tale, “Slumdog” has its share of dark and grueling moments to go along with any smiles and laughter. After all, the opening scene of the movie depicts Jamal being violently interrogated, and that’s only an appetizer for darker material to come. Like protagonists of Charles Dickens’ novels, Jamal comes to find happiness only by beating all the odds stacked against him, and it’s these moments of darkness that make his successes all the more rewarding to watch.
As I was watching “Slumdog Millionaire,” I couldn’t help but think of what a fresh and energetic experience was unfolding on the screen. Director Danny Boyle, the man responsible for “Trainspotting” and “28 Days Later,” has always been among the most intriguing men working in the industry, and all of his talent is on display here.
The movie moves along with boundless energy, and the enthusiasm that Boyle and his creative team have for their craft is evident in every frame. Not once does it feel like they’re going through the motions. Their hearts are wholly invested in the material; that’s something not seen often in any movie.
But no amount of words can truly do this movie justice. It’s not just a movie; it’s an experience. And this is an experience that should be had by all, in spite of the R-rating hypocritically doled out by the Motion Picture Association of America Even at its most grueling, it’s no worse than the typical PG-13 action flick).
Even though it carries a much smaller production cost than most big studio efforts and has a lack of big names in front of the camera, it stands taller than every other movie currently playing at a theatre near you.
And though it starts dark, it ultimately has you leaving the theatre feeling like 20 million rupees.