SLUMDOG Millionaire is based on the book 'Q & A' by Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup.
The film, directed by Danny Boyle, who is best known for Trainspotting and 28 Days Later, is set in India and tells the story of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), a young man from the slums of Mumbai who appears on the game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
He arouses suspicions from the authorities and the beginning of the film opens up on a rather grizzly scene of Jamal being questioned and tortured by police officers, who want to know how he knows all the answers.
As Jamal explains, each question unfolds a part of his life growing up in the slums which is shown in flashbacks and the audience is taken on a journey of Jamal's heart-wrenching, hysterical and life-changing moments.
These including scenes of him trying to get the autograph of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan and how he and his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal) befriend orphan girl, Latika (Freida Pinto).
The cinematography is dazzling from the views of the slums to the landscape of Bombay as is develops into corporate Mumbai.
The soundtrack is uplifting in parts, in particular I like the track by MIA - 'Paper Planes' which accompanies scenes of Jamal and Salim riding the trains around India.
The film is excrutiating and thought-provoking, while telling the tale of a brave, honest, young man who does all he can to overcome his struggles.
This film is truly brilliant, already a winner of four Golden Globes and tipped to win big at the Oscars.
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