Jason and I took the weekend off, and while we were out, we saw Slumdog Millionaire. This movie was wonderful! Parts of it were very hard to watch--as a spoiled American, I can't imagine living the way these poor kids live. A good chunk of the movie is spent in the slums of India--shanties made of corrugated metal, women washing clothes in filthy water, latrines built on the edge of "civilization" and boys trying to make a little money by charging money for their use. ("Stinks" of Urinetowne!) A band of people (Hindus, I believe) run through the slum, killing Muslims. The boys who are the focus of this movie are made orphans through one of these pogroms. This movie doesn't pull any punches on how cruel adults are to children. These kids are taken advantage of, abused, used, and thrown away. The boys raise themselves, getting food and clothing by doing what they have been taught--stealing and scamming. The main boy, Jamal, is sweet and lovely and good to the core. Despite his difficulty, his moral core remains intact. Then, he is punished for sharing what he knows. These scenes are what make this movie rated R. There isn't a lot of language or sex/nudity, but being able to watch it takes some maturity.
It ends happily (since I know some of you wouldn't want to see this movie if it's depressing, and I can't blame you.) And, true to the form of Indian film, the closing credits are accompanied by a musical number. I think this is one of the best movies of the year! I hope it takes the Oscar!
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