Telluride Review: Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire

August 31, 2008
by Alex Billington
Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire

Do you believe in destiny? Last night I caught the world premiere at Telluride of Danny Boyle's latest film, Slumdog Millionaire, and it was an absolute blast. I haven't been this thoroughly entertained at a film festival since I saw The Escapist at Sundance in January. At its core, Slumdog is a love story about a boy who just won't give up, but it's wrapped around his short life story about winning the Hindi version of the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" game show. The film is a two hour lesson on Indian culture taught vividly by Danny Boyle and adorned by beautiful cinematography and an incredible music selection. However, it's still one of the most excitingly cultured mainstream films that's all about life, love, and destiny.

Slumdog Millionaire tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an orphaned child from the slums of Mumbai, India, who is one question away from winning "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" When the final question is pushed to the next day, Jamal is arrested on suspicion of cheating and questioned by the police to explain how he knew all of the answers. The film then proceeds to tell his life story, from the time he was a little kid until that very moment, explaining that experiences throughout his life helped him specifically answer every last question - destiny. We discover in the end that he just never gave up in his pursuit to find a girl who he has been in love with all his life, Latika (Freida Pinto).

This film was a pleasing combination of the realism of City of God, the comedy of Darjeeling Limited, and the style of Danny Boyle. There was never a dull moment throughout the entire thing, compliments of Mr. Boyle, whose filmmaking I already love. Boyle is something of an acquired taste, although I wish he wasn't. Like Guy Ritchie, he's got a very distinct and unique style to his films that some will enjoy, others will despise. I think Slumdog Millionaire can definitely push its way to mainstream success and it will be greeted with open arms, all because it's such an entertaining, fun, and upbeat movie.

That style which I speak so highly of involves very colorful cinematography, fast-paced action, songs and a score that add even more energy to many moments in the film, and a storytelling style that differs from almost every other indie filmmaker. If you can appreciate this kind of style, mixed into one of the most uplifting and charming stories all year, despite it's riddled with the occasional torture or riot, you'll end up loving Slumdog Millionaire as much as I did. I've never even really liked Bollywood either, but by the credits at the end, where the entire cast breaks out into a dance number, even I was enthralled by this wonderful finale. Slumdog is another wonderful film from the creative genius of Danny Boyle.

Telluride Rating: 9 out of 10

Clip and site : http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire/

I have seen a clip in 2K DLP. it was shot with a 2K digital camera. Looked noisy but nice.

The reviewer says he never really liked bollywood, but this is not a bollywood film. Why do they assume that any film made in India is a bollywood film?
Anyway this sure looks good and I'm sure Danny Boyle wouldn't dissappoint, I read on IMDB that at a film festival screening he recommended 3 indian films - Company, Satya and Black Friday, well he's got good taste. I would've lost respect for him if he said something like Devdas, Paheli, etc.
But I wonder why they chose that lead actor (Dev Patel) . He's one of the cast from Skins, don't know if he can pull it off.

Slumdog Millionaire' hits it big with audience award

By Susan Wloszczyna, USA TODAY
TORONTO — The people have spoken, or at least voted. Slumdog Millionaire, a Dickensian fable that plunges into the noisy, colorful and perilous urban chaos of India, has joined the ranks of American Beauty, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Whale Rider as a winner of the People's Choice Award, selected by festivalgoers and often an Oscar harbinger.

Much like Jamal, the plucky teen orphan from the teeming streets of Mumbai who wins the jackpot on the Hindi version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? only to be accused of cheating, Slumdog has risen above its lowly status.

The hard-to-market title was left in limbo after art-house label Warner Independent went under, until Fox Searchlight signed on to co-release it with Warner Bros. An enthusiastic screening at Telluride more than validated that choice.



"Four weeks ago, we were, like, dead," says British director Danny Boyle, best known for the drug-addicted rush of 1996's Trainspotting and zombie-style thrills of 2002's 28 Days Later. "We had no hope. We were homeless, and it's a bit like the film. These festivals put you on your feet."

Opening scenes of Jamal being tortured by police officers who question his answering skills cast a rather disturbing tone at first. But audience reaction from a flashback depicting the resourceful hero at age 7, resorting to a messy escape from an outhouse to get the autograph of his favorite Bollywood star, told Boyle his film had universal appeal.

"They went mad for it," he says of viewers at Telluride and later in Toronto. "I love that scene. It shows he is steely, he will do anything to get what he needs to get." That includes being coated in what is really chocolate and peanut butter.

The director estimates about 15% of the mostly English dialogue is in Hindi with subtitles, which could be considered a hindrance. But these are no ordinary subtitles. Set against blocks of vivid hues that pop up around the screen during chases, the device enhances the kinetic charge of sights and sounds.

"They are regarded by studios as barriers," Boyle says. "That's when you think, if you make it fun, maybe people will embrace it."

The true test arrives Nov. 28, when Slumdog Millionaire opens in limited release.

scene of a mercedes car in a slum had to chopped off after mercedes reported they were not comfortable with that image

Trailer http://link.brightcove.com/services/lin ... 1890046448

Priyadarshan slates Slumdog Millionaire:

http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/feature ... index.html

He calls the film "mediocre and trashy" - and what was the last film that Priyadarshan made that wasn't mediocre? Actually, most of his films nowadays are total utter crap.

I finally managed to watch a few movies one of them being Slumdog - it's okay I thought, nothing special, can't see what the fuss is about over this.

Ali

the hindi dub is called "slumdog crorepati".

arindam ("last lear") came out with a newspaper ad urging indians to boycott the movie because it degraded the nation etc.

I'm surprised there's not more discussion of this film in the "Zulmie" community. I haven't yet seen it, but I'll respond to your point by saying, one doesn't have to be talented for his criticism to be acceptable. Priyadarshan is a terrible film-maker whose unusually excellent Hera Pheri once marked him one of the industry's greatest prodigies, but, indubitable, he has every right to evaluate others' works.

Often, what people like about foreign cinema is its distinctness from their own, so, while I'd like to sit down to Slumdog Millionaire with as few expectations as possible, I suspect my opinion of the film might not fall in line with that of an audience for whom musical movies are something their own cinematic culture abandoned long ago, and so are grand and watchable in an altogether novel fashion.

I saw the film a week ago and quite honestly I found it to be one of the most over rated movies I have ever seen. Ten Academy nominations? Heck I'd like some of what the Academy is smoking. The script is full of holes the size of the black hole. In fact at times I thought I was watching a Manmohan Desai film, with so many convenient coincidences. As for Rahman's music, the less said the better. I had hoped that I might like the music more once I watch the film, but try as hard as I could, the music was and remains very mediocre at best. With 'Aaj Ki Raat' from 'Don', a non Rahman composition, being the best of the lot. The goras have truelly lost their mind on this one.

But, again, doesn't that go to show that they're appreciating something they're not very used to, whereas you might be dismissing that which you've seen ad nauseum in your life, and have become overly accustomed to? American audiences (including critics) seem to adore ventures such as Kabhi Khushi Kabie Gham... and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which aren't bad films, but which are typically seen as "N.R.I.-catering fluff" by "serious Indian audiences," who have a tendency toward appreciating movies like Guru and Chokher Bali.

To be honest, I don't think much of 'Guru' as a film either. In my opinion it too is, a mediocre film at best and certainly way over rated by many. I can't comment on 'Choker Bali', since I have not seen it, but then again there is nothing about the film that has made me want to see it either. Maybe one of these days I will see it and then I will get back with my opinion. Bottom line is, a good film is a good film, irrespective of one being accustomed to that particular type of cinema or not. I don't think I would have ever rated 'Slumdog Millionaire' any better than I do now, even if I had never seen any Manmohan Desai films. By the way, I don't think too highly of Manmohan Desai either or atleast not of his movies post Parvarish. Everything after Parvarish was simply a rehash of his earlier work and that too very poor copies of his earlier films. In fact, post Naseeb, which was mediocre, one can quite emphatically state that all his films were at best 'crap'. Coming back to 'Slumdog Millionaire' it is a decent watch and that's it. But the fact remains, that it is one of the weakest if not the weakest films to ever be nominated for 'best picture' by the Academy. It did not deserve the nomination and it most certainly does not deserve to win. The same goes for A.R. Rahman's score for the film which is probably weaker than the film itself.

I wonder how the west would receive a movie like 'Lage Raho Munnabhai', if it was promoted by a hollywood studio and which in my opinion is a far superior movie to 'Slumdog Millionaire'. I wish India had chosen it as it's official entry three yrs ago.

I disagree with the idea that a film can be "great" regardless of whether or not one is accustomed to the formula. By that logic, Ek Ajnabee was brilliant, as it doesn't matter that we'd already seen Man on Fire. Films are a subjective phenomenon: they are however they're seen by their audience.

I feel Manmohan Desai was a great director who fell into the trap of imitating himself, which grew stale as time passed. Amar Akbar Anthony was Desai at his best, and Mard was awful if one takes Amitabh Bachchan and "'80s charm" out of the equation.

Danny Boyle isn't much of a filmmaker to begin with, I hate to sound like a classiest, but his oeuvre is the equivalent to the same campy cinema that Priyadarshan produces in Mumbai. Furthermore, I'm emotionally preplexed with Rahman's success (and I tend to side with you here) with this film. To compare it with an illusive analogy, it's like Amitabh Bachchan getting an Oscar nomination for Mohabbatein.