Movie Review: Slumdog Millionaire

I have a new favorite movie of the year...Slumdog Millionaire. Directed by Trainspotting's Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire is filmed in India with an all-Indian cast. Our hero is the humble Jamal Malik, who has become an unlikely finalist for the game show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" So unlikely, in fact, that he has been arrested because no one can believe that an uneducated boy from the slums could know all of the answers without cheating. During the interrogation, Jamal's life story unfolds, as he explains each answer anecdote by anecdote. And what a story it is- poverty, tragedy, love, sibling rivalry, loyalty, betrayal, murder, adventure, and hope. The movie is vibrant and larger than life, with breathtaking cinematography and a pitch-perfect soundtrack. And the actors are all amazing, especially the kids. Slumdog Millionaire is successful in capturing the essence of modern India- highlighting the beauty without shying away from the horrors (...the intentional maiming of children? Ghastly.) But you certainly won't walk away depressed: eschewing the notion that a movie has to be sad to be powerful, Jamal triumphs, and the movie closes with a delightful dance number nod to Bollywood. It's the sort of movie that I can recommend to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Go see Slumdog Millionaire. You will like it.