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"SLUMDOG
MILLIONAIRE" - The story about a young man from
the slums of Mumbai, India, who wins the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" captured the fancy of many including
the members of the Academy, who awarded it the 2008 Oscar for Best Motion Picture. The "slumdog" hero, Jamal, becomes an improbable
millionaire on the unlikely chance that his life experiences coincide exactly with the questions posed by the disbelieving
host of the popular Indian quiz show.
Part
of my problem with this movie is that it has been sold in previews as a lark and a timeless romance, but that is just false
advertising. The vast majority of this film is a visually brutalizing tale about abject poverty, cruelty, violence, and rampant
criminality in the Mumbai slums of India. Be forewarned that many of the scenes are nauseating and gut wrenching. In addition,
Jamal is laconic to the point of not having any dialogue at all. Furthermore, what little romance there is is delayed until
a feel good scene at the end. Nonetheless, the editing of the story was extremely well done, and this is a tightly knit story.
On these points there is much to admire about this film. (B, Rent it if you wish)
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