BBBB.5
(out of 5)
The fairy tale begins with success: Jamal, a young Mumbai boy, wins millions of rupees on the Indian version of Who’s Wants To Be A Millionaire but then is immediately suspected of cheating. After the police beat and torture him, they sit and listen as Jamal spins a yarn of chance and fate in which every question given to him on the program is directly linked to a past experience of his life. His destiny, it seems, was to win this game with divine intervention and some shrewd observations of human nature working on his side. This beautifully photographed, exquisite romance by Danny Boyle shows the director gathering the best aspects of his films into one cohesive whole: the gritty reality of Trainspotting, the technical genius of 28 Days Later and Sunshine, and the whimsical romance (though misused in that case) of A Life Less Ordinary combining for an experience that celebrates life and fiction without ignoring the horrors of human frailty. Everything about this movie shines bright, from the wonderfully energetic performances to the sparkling colours and catchy music.
Warner Bros., Celador Films, Film4, Pathé Pictures International, Pathé
Directed by Danny Boyle
Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, based on the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup
Cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle
Produced by Christian Colson
Music by A.R. Rahman
Production Design by Mark Digby
Costume Design by Suttirat Anne Larlarb
Film Editing by Chris Dickens
Academy Awards: 2008
Golden Globe Awards: 2008
Toronto International Film Festival: 2008
