Jeffrey Luppino-Esposito EDITORS

I come bearing rare knowledge from the South East Orient: Great films (not just entertaining 'movies') are allowed to have great plots too. Thrilling from the second I walked into the theater (I missed the previews), and emotionally demanding all throughout, Slumdog Millionaire deserves every bit of the acclaim its been receiving of late.

Slumdog traces a refreshingly gripping tale of rising up from oppression (sorry Freedom Writers, Hardball, and The Great Debaters... we just sorta get it at this point). Throughout the Bollywood film, we are constantly on the run alongside the growing brothers, Jamal and Salim, who are forced to mature far too quickly. Our story begins with the strikingly poised Jamal (brought to life perfectly by Dev Patel), refusing to reveal how he, the uneducated Muslim boy from the slums, could possibly be one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India's very own version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire".

It is a story of fate, a truly beautiful belief in understanding that certain things can't be understood and are simply meant to 'be'. For Jamal, his debut on national television holds the weight of not only his own wallet, but the will of an oppressed people, and the heart of his one true love who he refuses to lose.

As each question is retraced on the all-too-familiar "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" set, India's equivalent of Regis Philbin deviously sits across from our ceaselessly empathetic protagonist, and we feel something we haven't felt in a long time; true suspense and excitement through something knowingly fictional. Even when I was able to predict events a few minutes before they happened, I did so because I simply knew that they were supposed to happen, and I was more than okay with that.

Don't worry, it may sound like I've given away a lot of plot, but you could come into this movie knowing the conclusion and still be cringing and tensing with every scene.

So what makes it a great film?

I'll start with what many believe matters most: the point, or message of the work of art. Let's be honest with ourselves, most Americans in the theater, when they heard the word 'rupees', thought of Zelda. Sure, not knowing India's currency is funny and harmless, yet the film demanded our attention to much more serious issues that we are all vaguely aware of but have done too good of a job ignoring.

The image of India is portrayed in a brutally honest light; the religious divide is clear, the begging children are heart-wrenching, the tainted life that Salim must lead out of necessity and love for his brother serves as the perfect microcosm for the poverty and conflict, both internal and external, of the mistreated colony turned world power and tool.

This film is a wake-up call without ever being preachy. At the same time, it gives us a sense of hope that 'the greatest country in the world' seems to have forgotten, no matter what some politicians might try to tell you.

On the technical side, the camera angles are experimental yet always responsible for the scene and pleasing to the viewer. For the American movie-goer we are treated to some new things, which is always something special. The soundtrack takes us away to a mythical place with both the classic sounds of India and the modern likes of M.I.A. blended perfectly together.

We are served fantastic performances by the actors playing Jamal and Salim at all ages (though I found their youngest stage absolutely adorable and remarkably talented beyond their years). The gorgeous Freida Pinto delivers a solid performance as Latika, going far above the expectations of a character that could be written off as simply a maiden in distress. These three characters, and their various actors, drive the show and demand our sympathy with incredible ease.

The work is edge-of-your-seat enjoyable while remaining evocative and poignant. It is extremely refreshing for American audiences, and it is a stellar display of what our friends in Bollywood are truly capable of.

Slumdog Millionaire: PopSense Approved- 9.5/10

ps - Oh yeah, and be sure to stick around till the very end for a unique reminder that this isn't just another Hollywood cookie-cutter flick.
Also, sorry Chamillionaire, your oppressive reign is over.

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