One might say genre categorisation exists to give the prospective audience an inkling in to what sort of emotions they should expect the film to evoke. Yet British director Danny Boyle asks an elementary question; why? Why limit a film to one set of emotions when it has the potential to explore so much more?
His question is hypothetical, because he has already provided us with the answer. That answer is Slumdog Millionaire; a truly remarkable film that manages to be harrowing, stirring, tear-jerking, exhilarating and joyous all within its 120 minute runtime. You won’t need a lifeline to tell you that this is modern cinema at its best.

The lights dim, the thematic music kicks in and the crowd applaud to signal the biggest moment of Jamal Malik’s (Dev Patel) life; he has reached the last question on India’s ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’. But how has a boy from the slums of Mumbai made it further on the show than the brightest minds have in the past? It’s a question that leads to Jamal’s arrest, under the suspicion of cheating. To prove his innocence, Jamal is forced to reveal the sometimes joyous but often tragic events of his childhood living in the slums with his older brother Saliem (Madhur Mittal) and friend Latika (Freida Pinto) and how their journey of survival lead him to the answer of each question.

Based on the novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup, Simon Beaufory’s screen adaptation intertwines the past with the present, splendidly building in suspense as the million dollar question looms closer. However, it’s the fairytale journey of hope and humanity leading up to the final question that is most captivating. Told in three different time frames, we first meet an adolescent Jamal in the most confrontational matter; being tortured in a cell in a hope he will reveal how he cheated. “He’s a tough guy”, the guard proclaims after he can’t get Jamal to talk. No wonder; we soon learn that most of Jamal’s life has been torture. His mother was killed during a anti-Muslim raid when he was a child, leaving him and his brother to beg and steal for food before returning to the junkyard they called home. With an admirable sense of optimism and belief in destiny, a young Jamal finds happiness from his newfound friend Latika, forming the foundation for a future love.

With a character this endearing, it’s near impossible not to get fully absorbed in Jamal’s story. It helps that each portrayal of Jamal is as excellent as the next, credibly developing the complexities of Jamal’s character and his unsteady relationship with his brother; a troubled boy torn between survival, greed and the responsibilities of being an older brother. Frieda Pinto as Latika also makes for a convincing love interest, if not simply for her radiant beauty, making the romantic sub-plot of destined love one of the most cordial of the year. Expect to see a lot more from this young cast in the future.

It doesn’t matter what director Danny Boyle is depicting –be it unsettling scenes of child exploitation or moments of melodramatic joy – it’s infinitely entertaining. Boyle’s direction has a remarkable energy that manages to seamlessly and satisfyingly blend together each and every dramatic shift in chronology, locale and sentiment. With a lucrative career not bound to a specific genre, Boyle uses his knowledge from each of his previous films to craft a truly unique experience. Certain scenes, such as those taking place on the Millionaire game show, lend from the slick visual presentation of his underrated sci-fi thriller Sunshine. The sweeping long-shots of India’s terrible poverty and unsightly trash field plains relate back to unsettling emptiness of the city streets in Boyle’s Zombie flick 28 Days Later. Yet the chase sequences in Slumdog carry the humour and energy of the directors most celebrated film Trainspotting. Last but not least, Boyle injects the humanity and charm ever present in his family film Millions into Jamal’s character and the films satisfying conclusion. So satisfying a conclusion, might I add, that it had me completely overcome with tears of joy.

Collectively, this vibrant blend of cinematic techniques is somewhat reminiscent of Baz Luhrmann’s modern and stylistic take of Romeo + Juliet. Yet unlike Luhrmann deliberately did, Boyle doesn’t overdo the melodrama to the point where it glosses over the often unsettling reality of each situation and setting. Instead, he strikes a solid balance between the two, turning what could have been a hard-hitting, solemn film into a tasteful crowd pleaser.

Conclusion:

Captivatingly told, dynamically directed and superbly acted; Slumdog Millionaire is near unfaultable.
The million dollar question here is;

Q: Is this the year’s best film?

A: Absolutely.

Follow the author Anders Wotzke on Twitter.

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