I’ll wait until it comes out on DVD so I can skip the torture sequence(s?). One of Danny Boyle’s films (Millions) is my favorite movie of all time.
They’re right at the beginning and they’re very short.
Saw it tonight, and thought it was great – I also picked up a similar vibe to City of God.
I’m curious how it’s going over in India – anyone know? Is it considered a fairly accurate depiction of Indian slum life?
Big thanks to the OP for starting this thread. I hadn’t heard of this movie till Diogenes mentioned it. My boyfriend and I just came back from seeing it and it was officially our favourite movie of the year. Were the young kids amateurs or real professional actors?
I saw it Friday and loved it. It definitely has Oscar potential. I hope it gets a wide release so I can recommend that people see it. It’s very uplifting (my entire head was threatening to burst with tears at the end), and at the same time, intensely disturbing - it makes me almost afraid to visit India, especially the poorer areas. It gives a very visceral sense of what it might be like to be a slumdog, and wht it might be like to live in India in general. The sountrack is wonderful, and the dance number at the end is fun.
That said, it has it’s flaws. The story framework concept is good, as is the general story itself, but the characters and relationships are never developed in depth. The protaganist is played by an actor who I’ve seen doing good stuff in other places, but he isn’t given a whole lot to do here (except as his younger self played by different actors). Especially so with the romance, which is the central plot - the whole aim is in reuniting the featured couple, so we never get to see them really in a relationship.
Over the last few years I’ve seen a lot of great films done poorly - concept was amazing, visuals were stunning, acting was as good as could be given the dialogue - but while executed decently, it failed to really build up a fully satisfying emotional experience or reach a signifgant experiential climax.
This film is the opposite - it takes what could easily be an afterschool special and executes it fantastically. it is constantly affecting and engaging, and reaches a very powerful emotional climax, despite what could be considered potentially weak material to be starting from.
Anyway I loved it. I hope it gets at least an Oscar nom. If it does, I think it’s only competition will be MILK.
I’m assuming it qualifies - do all english language films qualify even if they were produced elsewhere? Is there a minimum english quota (this film is 30% Hindi).
This surprises me. I love Dev Patel, and he’s done some great stuff elsewhere, but his character in this is written as somewhat zen and passive. He portrays this fine, but it’s not exactly the kind of part you would want for your showcase. Again, his acting is fine, but there’s not all that much emoting for him to portray with this character.
From what I’ve heard, the only controversy has been that they cast Dev, who is British and not Indian. Boyle tried auditioning Indians, but found that most male actors in India are too well built and didn’t look the part of a skinny impoverished slumdog.
It doesn’t matter. Foreign language films that see screentime during the calendar year are just as eligible for the Best Picture category as the english-language/Hollywood ones. Even though there is a separate category for FL films, that doesn’t preclude them from competing in the Big Race as well.
I loved City of God and City of Men. Sounds like a good one.
Saw this yesterday and I can’t stop getting chills when I remember the music and the cinematography. I thought it was so excellent. My own favorite part:
I was pretty teary at the conclusion of the story, and the adult Jamal and Latika dancing at the end credits made me feel so teary/smiley, but when they showed the child versions of them dancing, I lost it and happy tears were spilling down my cheeks.
Gah—I’m getting all choked up again!
I liked this movie, but it looks like I am the only one who thought the direction was pretty awful. It’s like he felt the need to put every visual gimmick he could into the movie, regardless of whether it was necessary. Several times during the movie I had to simply stop watching the screen because it was assaulting my eyeballs with his frenetic style. Great movie, great acting, totally over-directed.
It finally opened here in Las Vegas today and we went to the first showing.
Very good film, and yes, probably one of the top ten of the year so far.
As far as an Oscar nod for Best Film, I doubt it…but depends on how some of the other films with buzz actually do.
I liked the story structure. And even though you sort of knew how it was going to end, it still held enough twists to keep you wondering. Some great acting by a cast of mostly unknowns (at least to us, and probably most of the US audiences) although my SO thought Dev Patel looked a lot like Michael Phelps.
Surprise a friend or two and drag them to see this…yes, it is a bit brutal in a few scenes, and yes the environment is pretty gritty…but the overall story is very upbeat with a pretty great love story unfolding with that depressing backdrop.
Not your usual Hollywood film and maybe that is why this seems like such a little treasure to find at your local multiplex.
I think you can count on it. It’s an absolute done deal. It may not win, but there’s no way in hell it won’t be nominated. In fact, people who live in places where the movie isn’t playing can astound their non-movie buff friends (and maybe win some bucks on a bet) by choosing it in an Oscar nomination pool. They’ll say “What the hell is that? Never heard of it, you’re crazy” and when it’s on the list they will be amazed at your mad prediction skillz.
Edit to add, just like those who knew enough to know that Juno would be nominated, or Kiesha Castle-Hughes, or Adrien Brody. Keeping track of precursors really makes you seem clairvoyant to those who don’t.
Loved it. Colorful (extra bright, or so it seemed to me), music was amazing, just a really great movie. And yes, the ending credits - I want to see that again!
I just saw it today and was blown away. The depiction of the slums of Mumbai was nauseating as well as fascinating. And I really liked the love story angle, because the girl (at least the grown up version) was someone worth fighting and maybe dying for.
Also, was I the only one urging Jamal to pick D?
On which question?
I knew the Musketeers question. I didn’t know the cricket question, but I was thinking “he’s lying, he’s lying” when the host tried to feed Jamal the wrong answer.
What blew me away with the end credits was not the dance but when they showed the three actors who played the brothers, that is when it dawned on me that it was three actors playing one character. The boys were really great, they gave one performance.
The only thing that bugged me was that he learned all the replies in chronological order through his life.
Well, thanks a lot. I hadn’t thought of that until you said it.
Oh well, the movie explicitly says that it’s all predestined anyway.
What do Indians think of the movie?
I haven’t seen too much about the response of Indian audiences but here’s one review submitted to AICN by an Indian reviewer. He picks a couple of small nits (like the lead actor’s disguised British accent), but is mostly very positive. here’s his final paragrph: