314 out of 355 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***

Exaggeration of Ground Zero

A Customer from London, 7th January, 2009

I watched Slumdog Millionaire yesterday at a special screening. Though this movie is technically well made, I feel that India is portrayed in very poor light. People in western countries somehow still seem to think that India is a third world country which has nothing to offer other than snake charmers, poor tribals and Taj Mahal. I have lived in Mumbai all my life and so here is my take: 1) In the riot scene there was no need to add the comment 'These are Muslims, lets get them'. Thugs and Law Breakers should not be categorised into any religion. Violence is a reality everywhere and we understand that, but why give a religious twist to it, just because Jamal and Salim are Muslims? That tragic scene could have been shown slightly differently. 2) I hated repeatedly seeing scenes of westerners getting conned. It is as if to say that all street children in India are thugs and when you come to India, you are sure to be taken for a ride. This is not true at all. 3) Why show a dirty kitchen with Salim filling up 'fake' mineral water from a tap? C'mon guys, this is that 'stereotype western cliche' about India and Danny Boyle has proved he is no different 4) Taking a poor boy's eyeball out? I'm not saying it doesnt happen...but I'm sure not in a scale shown in the movie. Again, as if to say there is no law enforcement or they always turn a blind eye. 5) Most Police stations in Mumbai have got a facelift in the last 5 years....atleast a coat of paint! Which Quiz Show allows a participant and host to go to the bathroom at the same time, especially in the middle of a commercial break when an answer to a question is pending? Laughable!!!!

64 out of 90 people found the following review helpful:

A good story line but difficult to get into.

A Customer from Buckinghamshire, 5th January, 2009

This film was NOT what I expected at all when I took my Nephew to see it at the cinema. I had no idea what it was about so wasn't sure what to expect.... but it wasn't what I got! Not sure if its worth a watch, I think maybe it is purely because it is like no other film I have seen so far. It does have a good story line which keeps you gripped & wondering what is going to happen, but at the same time its slightly dull and you kind of want to speed it up after the first hour or so and I just got bored.

48 out of 51 people found the following review helpful:

This movie is 20 million rupees!

A Customer from London, 26th December, 2008

I had never heard of this movie, so when my friend suggested we see it on my recent visit to San Francisco, I thought 'Hey, why not?' I was completely overwhelmed. I don't know if it was because I knew nothing about it which made it so much more enjoyable or what, but this is a real gem and it made me laugh out loud, smile loads and I even got a tiny bit emotional when it finished.... (Please note I was also suffering from a cold at the time of watching this movie so the streaming eyes and runny nose were in no way related...) I love what Danny Boyle has done with the Bollywood genre. I recommend that you see this movie as soon as it's out in the UK!

35 out of 48 people found the following review helpful:

worst film iv ever seen

A Customer from Belfast/derry, 30th January, 2009

prob the worst film iv ever seen,dont feed into the hype.its poor!

29 out of 33 people found the following review helpful:

So true

A Customer from Leeds, 31st December, 2008

If not my recent trip to Mumbai and Delhi I could not judge this movie on it's factual value. The slum story is so true and realistic that watching it was like having a deja vu. What I love about this movie is that it is not hiding anything from you. You can see real India, without any touch-ups typical for Hollywood productions. Please do not expect anything similar to Darjeeling Limited (so unrealistic movie) because you will get disappointed. The plot is good and happily enough not in a Bollywood style. Really worth watching but be aware that some scenes may be disturbing for someone who never visited a 3rd world country.

29 out of 35 people found the following review helpful:

Too many cliches

Andrews from , 18th January, 2009

I saw this in the cinema last night and was disappointed. Slumdog Millionaire is colourful, with an impressive frenetic energy, but is bursting at the seems with terrible clichés. The central Kane-and-Abel gangsta story is hackneyed and predictable, complete with earnest confrontations atop unfinished tower blocks (cue sunglasses, much smoking, and lines like ‘look down there brother – the slum where we grew up’) and love triangle with beautiful street-urchin-turned-prostitute-turned-gangster’s- moll. There isn’t much you don’t see coming a mile off. A lack of real dramatic tension means that when director Danny Boyle isn’t reverting to the aforementioned cliché, he has to bombard us with pop-video editing and an almost constantly thumping sound track. I could have done with about three fewer of the would-be adrenaline fuelled chase sequences that seemed to occur about every ten minutes. The fact that many of the events, including the central game-show premise, are completely implausible shouldn’t be a problem – it’s a movie after all. But Boyle failed to make me believe them, so the whole thing came over as plain daft. On the plus side there’s some very cute kids (who manage to steal the show despite having to say, in all seriousness, lines like ‘it is our destiny’) and some fantastically shot action sequences in the first hour. One of these - a violent sectarian raid on the slum - was the point I felt most engaged with the story, despite one of the attackers shouting out some daft line like ‘Let’s get these Muslims!’ The heady environment (you can almost smell it) of the Mumbai slum is one thing Boyle realises brilliantly.

21 out of 22 people found the following review helpful:

What the...!

RichieG from , 16th March, 2009

Did I just see the same film as everyone else?! This has to be the most overrated film in history!

20 out of 22 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***

Insight

A Customer from High Wycombe, 11th January, 2009

I think this is a fantastic film, which should be seen, whether for the brilliant cinematography, comedic moments, love story or inspirational acting. I was lucky enough to see the film at a special preview screening, which was followed by an interview with writer Simon Beaufoy. This gave me such an insight into the film: how the largely Bollywood crew had never filmed off-set before; the logistical difficulties with capturing sound in the slums; how the child actors were cast; how realism was ensured (Loveleen Tanden's co-director credit, whilst generous, hints at her capacity to bring a distinctly Indian autheniticity to the film); how the original source book of short stories, 'Q & A', is nothing like the finished film's story, especially given that Lathika is completely Beaufoy's invention; how research had been carried out (brutal they may be, but instances of children being maimed so that they 'earn' more money as beggars are, sadly, true); how the ending was changed. No, this film is not entirely true (as with any work of fiction, the audience has to suspend their sense of disbelief in order to avoid questioning the film's plausibility - and a 'slumdog' wouldn't end up on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, let's face it), but it is authentic. This film has such a feel-good vibe that you cannot help but come out of the cinema feeling exhilarated.

19 out of 19 people found the following review helpful:

*** May contain spoilers ***

best film of 2009?

A Customer from Glasgow, 12th January, 2009

I got given a few tickets to go and see Slumdog Millionaire which recieved pretty favourable hype. I wasn't quite sure because it smacked of a bollywood production (Indian director, rather notable stars, love story). I take all of that back now. This is a superb film. I'm guessing you'll come across the same dilemma about whether or not its worth it, it is. (the latest Batman was ---- but got more audiences). Just to fill in here. I tried palming on my own tickets for this film which hasn't yet been released in UK cinemas. No-one took it up. When i explained this film to a few people, I got no takers and 'thanks, but no thanks'. It was also way out in Rubery which i only worked out how far it was away through a £20 taxi fare from the City Centre! I don't know what anyone else has heard about the film, but i've heard it mentioned a few times through film festival awards. The film itself has Danni Boyle's name as Director but he is actually co-Director. However, there is some pretty impressive camera work and photography in this film. I thought very much of Monsoon Wedding while watching it because it naturally came to mind. I really like the shots of India being taken, especially out in Mumbai. I recognise that these particular settings have irrevocably changed after the recent bombings and terrorist attacks. I have to admit that i was totally seduced by how visually beautiful and colourful the film is. Where this film really and truly succeeds is an incredible storyline. I was taken aback by how rich it was. It was very much in the cleverness of the adaptation of Le Carre's 'Constant Gardener' with the story progressing but being told through flashbacks. It made watching it far more entertaining because you had to be patient and piece through what actually happened. I really am a fan of well-told stories and I think this has to be one of the best. I have watched a lot of films, and I deliberately forgo a lot to make time for only the good ones. I was hooked for ages because the way the film tells the story is about as well crafted as the series City of Men or Pan's Labyrinth. There are so many funny bits with respect to children, that I was reminded a lot about the plotlines from BBC's Hustle. I'm not giving away the plot, but its one about childhood and growing up in the most extreme of circumstances and facing up to so many people being against you. Its also an incredibly beautiful love story. Its really a film about adversity. This film isn't a fairytale and i respect it more for trying to be serious. This film revolves around a boy sitting through Who Wants to be a (20) Millionaire in India but it was a headtrip into way more. A glimpse into child cruelty, the extent of poverty, crime, social commentary as well as rites of adolescence. It was really incredibly broad and requires a lot of concentration to keep up. The film however, is impressively dark, violent and disturbing in the way that Trainspotting was particularly macabre. This film appeals to me because it really is quite intelligent and elaborate. I think it would be a mistake to watch this if you liked Mamma Mia! Its wrongly hyped as a feel-good movie, but only if you completely ignore the particularly gruesome torture sequence in the first bit. In the same way as Usual Suspects, you have to play the role of the police detective interviewing the main character, and asking yourself if he really has told the truth or not. What i really admire is how great the children acting are in this film. I don't know how they were taught but they really were so damned good, portraying pain, suffering and humour. There is a lot of suffering in this film in particular. I doubt this film will be successful in England, because it doesn't dumb down or make anything saccharine at all. But yes.. all the pain.. a bit of mocking.. walking back in sub-zero temperatures, another me-date (I have really given up on going out with other people beyond a few people), a £20 taxi-fare. I would do all that again for this one because i really think it is a classic film. I'm probably being a bit premature here, but this film beats down the majority of films i saw in the cinema in 2008. I wouldn't waste my time by telling you about it otherwise. I've just got the soundtrack come through and i must tell you that it really is superb.

19 out of 21 people found the following review helpful:

The most overhyped film ever!

A Customer from London, 9th March, 2009

In lieu of anything else half decent in 2008 this film has swept the board for just about every award almost including best cleaning lady. But what a let down. It's limp, predictable, thoroughly unoriginal and twee. It may as well be called: 'Danny Boyle Goes to India'. Yawn!