Slumdog Millionaire: Is That Your Final Answer?
The movie industries overhyped film blah.
By: Liz Welborn
When a movie is both award-winning and highly publicized the audience expects to leave the movie feeling good for having spent their money. Slumdog Millionaire is such a film; with alleged rising stars (Dev Patel and Freida Pinto) and a promising director (Danny Boyle), I thought I would be indeed happy for having spent my change. However, I left the movie feeling cheated. The movie was nothing like it was expected to be: the acting lacked, the storyline dragged so what was the big hype about it?
The movie industries overhyped film blah.
By: Liz Welborn
When a movie is both award-winning and highly publicized the audience expects to leave the movie feeling good for having spent their money. Slumdog Millionaire is such a film; with alleged rising stars (Dev Patel and Freida Pinto) and a promising director (Danny Boyle), I thought I would be indeed happy for having spent my change. However, I left the movie feeling cheated. The movie was nothing like it was expected to be: the acting lacked, the storyline dragged so what was the big hype about it?
Slumdog Millionaire centers on Indian Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) and his traumatic life quest to find his childhood love, Latika (Freida Pinto). Jamal who was orphaned alongside his brother (Madhur Mittal) at a small age, he goes through stealing, being used as a beggar, and seeing his mother being killed. Jamal seeks to find her through competing on the hit Indian version of “Who wants to be a Millionaire?” hoping that Latika is watching and will find him. Jamal becomes under suspicion for cheating during the game show, when he answers all the questions correctly.
Although, this is a good storyline, it drags. The audience gets it: Jamal uses his past to answer the questions, he is on the show to find Latika, and his brother is worthless. We get it. I had a very hard time stopping myself from looking at my watch. Did the director have to show every single answer to every question that was asked on the game show, even the questions that had no impact with the movie? Some of the scenes dragged out because they were unbelievable and confusing. During one part of the movie, Jamal’s brother Salim (Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala) takes Latika into their hotel room and kicks Jamal out. The audience never knows for sure what happens behind that hotel room door. Did Salim rape Latika? Why would Salim suddenly leave his brother Jamal behind?
The casting did not help the storyline much either. The stars of the film did not look compatible. Dev Patel looks like a 16 –year- old boy kissing a much older looking Freida Pinto. The casting crew could have found a more compelling and chemistry-filled couple to play the love-crossed lovers. There was no chemistry when they looked at each other, and when he is in scenes with her, she looks like a teacher talking to her pupil.
The actual theme of the movie is one of the most captivating elements of the film. Jamal gets his answers by recalling instances in his life. A question on the show about a certain song has Jamal remembering when he was taught that same song and used by a gangster to beg for money on the streets. The undying moral of the story is, people learn from their experiences. Through his experiences, he knew the answers to the game show questions.
Besides the theme, the soundtrack was also a positive aspect of the film. The movie played traditional Indian music with a twist. There was music that I found myself tapping my feet to. It wasn’t too cultural where I could not understand the music at all, I related to it. The movie even featured music from M.I.A. Her “Paper Planes” song has been an international hit for months now. It was a surprise to hear it but a good choice as well. The song fit perfectly with the scene it was included in.
The movie showed the shocking culture of the slums in India. There were huts, dirty streets, and muddy waters to wash your clothes. It was somewhat of a culture shock, to be an American observing the hard life of the Indian slums. There is even a scene that portrays the American audience as being the sheltered people that we are. Jamal and Salim are slumming around the Taj Mahal when two Americans with fanny packs, asks them to provide a tour. They give Jamal money not knowing that he knows nothing about the history of the Taj Mahal. He keeps giving them false information and they barely question it.
The ending of the movie is unrealistic, but will undoubtedly please those soft at heart. While the movie has a good message, there are some aspects of the film that need to be adapted in order to make it better. The critics and the world seem to love this film, so that everybody who played in the film is in fact now a “Slumdog Millionaire.”
Although, this is a good storyline, it drags. The audience gets it: Jamal uses his past to answer the questions, he is on the show to find Latika, and his brother is worthless. We get it. I had a very hard time stopping myself from looking at my watch. Did the director have to show every single answer to every question that was asked on the game show, even the questions that had no impact with the movie? Some of the scenes dragged out because they were unbelievable and confusing. During one part of the movie, Jamal’s brother Salim (Ashutosh Lobo Gajiwala) takes Latika into their hotel room and kicks Jamal out. The audience never knows for sure what happens behind that hotel room door. Did Salim rape Latika? Why would Salim suddenly leave his brother Jamal behind?
The casting did not help the storyline much either. The stars of the film did not look compatible. Dev Patel looks like a 16 –year- old boy kissing a much older looking Freida Pinto. The casting crew could have found a more compelling and chemistry-filled couple to play the love-crossed lovers. There was no chemistry when they looked at each other, and when he is in scenes with her, she looks like a teacher talking to her pupil.
The actual theme of the movie is one of the most captivating elements of the film. Jamal gets his answers by recalling instances in his life. A question on the show about a certain song has Jamal remembering when he was taught that same song and used by a gangster to beg for money on the streets. The undying moral of the story is, people learn from their experiences. Through his experiences, he knew the answers to the game show questions.
Besides the theme, the soundtrack was also a positive aspect of the film. The movie played traditional Indian music with a twist. There was music that I found myself tapping my feet to. It wasn’t too cultural where I could not understand the music at all, I related to it. The movie even featured music from M.I.A. Her “Paper Planes” song has been an international hit for months now. It was a surprise to hear it but a good choice as well. The song fit perfectly with the scene it was included in.
The movie showed the shocking culture of the slums in India. There were huts, dirty streets, and muddy waters to wash your clothes. It was somewhat of a culture shock, to be an American observing the hard life of the Indian slums. There is even a scene that portrays the American audience as being the sheltered people that we are. Jamal and Salim are slumming around the Taj Mahal when two Americans with fanny packs, asks them to provide a tour. They give Jamal money not knowing that he knows nothing about the history of the Taj Mahal. He keeps giving them false information and they barely question it.
The ending of the movie is unrealistic, but will undoubtedly please those soft at heart. While the movie has a good message, there are some aspects of the film that need to be adapted in order to make it better. The critics and the world seem to love this film, so that everybody who played in the film is in fact now a “Slumdog Millionaire.”
It was really great how you balanced and were able to find elemtns of the film (like the music etc.) that you enjoyed. That made the review easier to read by someone who enjoyed the film. Nice job!
ReplyDeleteI liked the paragraph where you mention adolescent Jamal looking much younger than adolescent Latika in their romantic scene. So true, and good observation! This part really through me off as well. Good job analyzing the chemistry between the two.
ReplyDeleteYour lead is long, and I was confused in the second paragraph. When you begin to talk about Latika and Jamal's mother, the "shes" and "hers" get mixed up, and I'm not sure which one you are talking about.
Good job finding the positive theme even if you didn't like the movie.
like above, good job with your balance between good and bad in the movie. I thought your paragraphs were too long overall, especially the opening. I know you didn't like it but your ending wasn't excactly a stunner and maybe you meant it to be that way since you didn't like the film.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that the ending is unrealistic. I went into this film thinking that it was going to be the masterpiece everyone said it was, and totally wished I could have the two hours of my life back.
ReplyDeleteOverall the review is good. It gets a little confusing at times, but I think that may be due to the weird paragraph format. Good job getting your opinion out there.
I liked your opinion throughout and I think you had a good balance between the good and the bad. However, your ideas jumped around a little bit which made your column kind of hard to follow along with.
ReplyDelete