"Slumdog Millionaire"

The fade to black at the end of a movie has the same effect as the double bell that signals 'seat belts off' after a plane lands - people rise almost simultaneously from their seats. Nothing captures the experience of watching 'Slumdog Millionaire' as the fact that almost nobody in the theater stirred when the movie ended and the credits started to roll. Even after the credits were all done and the house lights came up, the audience seemed reluctant to move - everybody wanted to hold on to the magic of the moment.

The movie, based on a book ('Q&A') by Vikas Swarup, tells the story of a boy from the slums of Mumbai who went on to have great success in the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Along the way he is accused of cheating and flashbacks to his life provide the basis for his defense. The movie features some very good acting, especially by the little kids that play the young versions of the three main protagonists. Music by A.R. Rahman elevates almost any movie and does not disappoint here either.

However, it is not the story or the acting or the music that sets this movie apart - it is how the movie is made. I am guessing this is mostly the director's (Danny Boyle) skill, but the cinematographer also has to be commended. The movie traverses through some of the worst that India has to offer, but presents them clear eyed and without cloying emotion or passing judgments. Sitting amongst an audience that was overwhelmingly non-Indian, I cringed during some scenes, but never did I feel that it was an unfair portrayal. In fact, this kind of honest depiction is what is often missing from many of our social discourse, caught up as we all tend be in being PC. Boyle manages to capture the tumult, exuberance, and human tragedy that life in India is with just a few telling details. It was like being on a roller coaster - plunging you into the experience and emotion without a break. While it does not compare in terms of scope or literary achievement, it is somewhat reminiscent of Rushdie's "Midnight's Children."

It is ultimately a love story, but just as much about fraternal bonds as about the childhood sweethearts. In the beginning there is something disingenuous about the character of Jamal (the slumdog millionaire) - one wonders if this is just another take on a 'Forest Gump' role - but soon the movie rises above that and Jamal is revealed as a purposeful young man who has a strong grasp on what really matters.

Towards the end of the movie, there is a scene in which people are gathering outside an electronics show room to watch the final stages of the fictional TV show that is at the center of the movie. This scene was so evocative that it brought a smile to my face - I identified with it almost immediately and I was home. That and several other scenes like it alone are worth going to see the movie, but I am also willing to wager that the story and the telling of it will equally affect you.