Sunday, November 30, 2008

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire will snag you immediately in its first scenes of kids racing across a Mumbai ghetto with police in hot pursuit. Unfortunately Slumdog doesn't keep the pace over 2 hours. Instead it soars, makes you squirm with intensity, and then makes you check your watch. The story between protagonist Jamal and his older brother Salim is truly heartaching, though. In the end I wished it focused more on the brothers rather than on Jamal's lost love Latika. Despite Ajumma's mixed review, people are raving about Slumdog all over the film festival circuit. Critics suspect it will be up for an Oscar next year.