Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

The plot is a little tricky to explain, so here’s what it says on the internet: “A teenager from the slums of Mumbai becomes a contestant on the show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati?’ When interrogated under suspicion of cheating, he revisits his past, revealing how he had all the answers.”

This clever premise allows us to see, in flashback, the life story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) and his friend and lover Latika (Freida Pinto). This includes being orphaned, being exploited by a gangster who blinds children so they can beg for him, and dabbling with the criminal underworld. 

It becomes incredibly gripping, as well as often painful to watch. The intensity is such that I felt quite shaken by the end of it. The DVD box has a quote calling it “the feel-good film of the decade”, but for most of the time it’s actually fairly dark and disturbing. 

Director Danny Boyle’s usual visual energy is in abundance. Initially I felt that his high-speed, high-colour treatment was trivialising the drama, but then I came to understand that this approach perfectly evokes Jamal’s lifetime of vivid recollections. It’s a memorable and often brilliant film.