My first words out coming out of the theater were “Wow. Wow!” If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you’re missing out. Slumdog Millionaire opens with Jamal, a kid from the sprawling slums of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, who somehow earned a seat on India’s TV show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” being brutally interrogated by 2nd rate policemen. He’s been accused of cheating to get into the final round. How did this supposedly uneducated orphan know so much?
The master storytelling and creative paneling weave together threads of poverty, hope, cruelty, initiative, destiny and love. Having lived in crowded Asian concrete jungles for over a decade, I could smell the cement, sewage and raw despair.
We decided to make a night of it, heading out for Indian food first (tandoori chicken, garlic naan and a mango lassi for me), followed by the film. Ann and I walked out elated. Definitely my vote for best picture of 2008.
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