Best British Films: 9. Slumdog Millionaire

NOTE: This post contains spoilers. If for some odd reason you've yet to see 2008's award-winning phenomenon, Slumdog Millionaire, get off the computer and watch it Right. Now.
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Last year's awards juggernaut, Slumdog Millionaire, is the newest film on The Observer's list. It's hard to put my love for this movie into words, honestly. It was one of my favorite movies last year (I saw it in theaters four times) and I was overjoyed when it took the Oscars by storm.
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Jamal is an orphan from the slums of Mumbai and a contestant on the popular Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The nation is shocked that a poor boy from the gutter does so well, and so is the show's producer and host, who has him arrested on suspicion of cheating. As he explains himself to the police, he recounts his troubled past, which shows how he knows the answers and reveals a life-long love that might be lost forever.
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Danny Boyle's rags-to-riches love story sounds like treaded ground, but with the colorful backdrop of Mumbai and great performances from an entirely unknown cast, it's a fresh and invigorating experience. You have to give credit to Boyle and company for making a film that spoke to audiences all over the world despite such a specific and foreign locale. It's an exhilarating ride from start to finish.
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The flashbacks are seamlessly intercut with Jamal's appearance on the game show and his interrogation at the police station. What we have is several short stories woven together and beautifully told. The three main characters are played by three terrific sets of actors, and Anil Kapoor is wonderful as the slithery game show host. The dazzling cinematography and thumpin' soundtrack add to the energetic, dynamic, and vigorous pace that Boyle sets and maintains.
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The movie is an entertaining and powerful story of beating the odds and pursuing true love no matter what the cost. But what really makes the movie great is not what it is, but what it makes you feel. There's a moment at the end when Jamal and Latika find each other, and he kisses the scar on her cheek. The scene in which she gets it plays backwards to Jamal and Latika exchanging smiles at the train station. As if he can undo all the pain she's experienced in life just by loving her. It's a beautifully poignant celebration of life and love that moves you from moment one. ****/4