Knee-jerk review: "Slumdog Millionaire"

1. Overall, we'd have to say... yeah, it really is that good.
2. There's movies, there's films, and then there's cinema. This is cinema. Kinetic, lush, urgent, and wholly immersive. It really is a tour de force.
3. The artistry isn't really apparent until the last 20 minutes or so. Only at the end do the many pieces start to align, the themes come together, and the magic emerges. It's a cumulative effect. When the credits roll, you'll feel it. And it will stick with you.
4. Don't let the Fox Searchlight advertising campaign fool you, though. There are uplifting moments here. But it's also, you know, about life in the slums. Where survival isn't easy and is often harsh, unfair, and ruthless. It's rated R for a reason.
5. Freida Pinto? Wow.
6. Much is made about American director Steven Soderbergh (required viewing: Out of Sight, The Limey, Ocean's Eleven, Solaris) and the way he skillfully handles all kinds of genres and styles. Danny Boyle is surely the UK equivalent. The movie he made before this one was a brainy sci-fi thriller called Sunshine.
7. As expected, there's a debate starting to brew about the movie's artistic integrity. Look for more of this when the film gets Oscar nominations, as it surely will. Are the filmmakers honoring Indian culture by exporting it around the world or ripping off the fizzy Bollywood aesthetic and claiming it as their own? Is the movie exposing ugly realities about Indian slums or exploiting the poverty for drama? Does the movie make India look good or bad? Should that even be a concern for the filmmakers or should they focus on simply telling a good story?
8. On one hand, Salim is a really bad guy. Then again, it's only because he's willing to get his hands dirty that Jamal has a chance at a decent life.
9. The Cheese Fry hasn't yet seen The Wrestler, but so far, Slumdog is far and away a better film than the other supposed Best-Picture Oscar contenders The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, or Milk.
10. How can you not love the dance number?
11. Would you have said B or D? When you see it, you'll know what we're talking about.

Tweet