Now Playing: Slumdog Millionaire

When I was first told a synopsis for Slumdog Millionaire ("it's an Indian romance"), my gag reflex went into effect. I hate romantic movies to begin with but a romantic Indian movie? Complete with high-pitched heroines dancing behind trees with their unattractive love interests? Puh. Leeze. Then it got nominated for a Golden Globe, in the drama category no less, and I had to look it up for myself. Hmm… not so much a romance and directed by none other than Danny Boyle. All right - let's go. Before you read on, I should say that there may be what some people will classify as plot spoilers in the following paragraphs. I don't think so, but I am a more… observant movie-watcher than most.

First of all, the plot was very well done. Suspenseful and light-hearted in all the right places and paced so well, I almost didn't want the movie to end even while I was dying to know how it ended. The twists and revelations were beautiful little vignettes; the whole idea of fate and chance, of luck and destiny were presented in a way that actually had me believing. Boyle really does know how to engage his audience. A special kudos to A. R. Rahman, the music director - the choices were colourful and varied (from bangra to MIA, from haunting to a staccato chaos… just perfect). It should also be mentioned that this movie was co-directed by Loveleen Tandan, who must have been responsible for the ribbon of authenticity that flowed throughout the movie.

And then, there was the cast. Tandan worked a mini-miracle in getting actors that weren't related to look and act so alike that they made growing up appear as seamless as it happens in real life. Dev Patel and Madhur Mittal are very convincing as brothers, but it was little Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar) who stole the show. I just rooted for that little guy, from the moment he appeared covered in feces asking for Amitabh Bachan's autograph, hoping against hope that he would actually make it. His exuberance and unabashed goodness is easily counterbalanced by his brother, little Salim (Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail), whose utter selfishness and ghetto pragmatism serves as an excellent foil.

Yes, there are moments when reality is stretched… but isn't that the marker of every movie you've ever watched? And this movie is self-proclaimed fairy tale, so why not have a little fairy dust sprinkled throughout? I know, it's hard to believe in magic existing within such conditions - poverty so acute that professional beggar-children are maimed for higher profits, that squalor so deep that living on a refuse heap is acceptable. Boyle/Tandan don't try to make a World Vision moment out of the movie - they simply present reality as the backdrop for this decidedly fantastical movie. In real life: Latika would have had more than just a scar on her cheek, Jamal would have been blinded, Salim would probably have ended up in much the same place as he did. In Slumdog, as the first 30 seconds of the movie tells you, "Jamal Mallik becomes a millionaire." 4.5 out of 5 stars.