A Great Movie or a Cynical One?

"Slumdog Millionaire" is a film I just finished watching at the local megaplex here in Portland, and I'm struck by how much fun viewing the second half was and how repulsed I was by the first.

Directed by Danny Boyle, who never fails to entertain, this flick tries to explore both the depths and heights of human emotion in just about two hours of roller coaster ride. The first hour of "Slumdog" mainly describes a horrific childhood suffered by two brothers in the poorest ghettos of India. The second hour is a pure hearted love story of two teenagers who ya just know are gonna get together. How does one balance the other? I found myself squirming in my seat at several points early on, and practically clapping my hands with joy in the final, exhilarating half hour. In the guise of winning a fortune on a game show, the hero of the film wins a) the girl b) big bucks c) his freedom from his brother. How neat. How pleasant and pleasing.

But this is supposed to be one coherent film, not two separate ones. I did not enjoy myself in the first part of "Slumdog", though felt great admiration for the visuals used, but I had a great time afterwards in hoping that, then having, the guy and the girl get together.

See it for yourself and see what you think. I cannot help but highly recommend it, with the caveat that it will probably not stand the test of time as my two favorite movies of the year surely will; "The Dark Knight" and "W." Enjoy but beware of the manipulation of a talented filmmaker. Simply showing how low human beings can sink, then showing that love can transform makes for good entertainment, not great filmmaking.