Winning eight Oscars, including best picture, "Slumdog Millionaire" is on a high right now. It's high off the publicity, its happy and surprised break-out actors, and the fact that Hollywood is practically bowing down to it.
Not like it doesn't deserve it. In fact, it deserves all the praise it gets. Not only is "Slumdog Millionaire" the feel-good movie that America - and the whole world - needs right now, but its educational qualities make it just as exemplary.
Reading the summary, moviegoers (or DVD renters) might be unsure as to what exactly the movie entails. Something about India and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." But after the first 10 minutes, it clicks.
The movie focuses on Jamal, our "slumdog" (or, in simpler terms, a person who resides in the slums), who has miraculously made it to the final question on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Of course, because he's a "slumdog," he must be cheating, right? He is interrogated to figure out how he must have cheated, but instead, he reveals different secrets -- those of his life. It was those secrets and bits of random information he collected throughout his life that allowed him to answer so many questions.
What is beautiful about this film is not only the captivating storyline, but the bitter reality of the cinematography. It reveals the horrible conditions people live through every day, not only in Mumbai, but throughout India. It portrays the fear of children in the clutches of gangs forcing them to beg and the horror of religious riots.
But at the same time, it shows laughter between brothers and Jamal's fervent love for Latika.
What makes this movie so beautiful is that bittersweetness (and the random Bollywood dance at the end). Don't watch this movie because of its Oscar wins and Hollywood praise. Watch it for it.
-ARIEL SIEGELMAN, YORK SUBURBAN HIGH SCHOOL
Leave a comment