Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 3:21 pm
Really? This won the Oscar for Best Picture? Look, this is NOT a bad movie. In fact, it's pretty good, but "Best Picture"? I don't think so.
The story is very straightforward and by the numbers. There are no surprises here at all. I truly think what got the Oscar folks' attention is the fact that this film came shows them something they've never seen before, India. Combine the conditions in India with the cute kids and you've got enough heart string tugging to win an Oscar.
The story follows a young man who is on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" He's doing quite well for himself as he's up to $10 million. (That's not a spoiler.) However, the police and the show's producers think he's a cheater and don't understand how this "slumdog" is doing what doctors, lawyers, professors, etc. haven't been able to do. Thus, the movie answers this mystery by showing where in the man's life he learned the answer to whatever is being asked.
It's a cool concept, but not revolutionary.
The acting throughout is very good. I don't believe that anyone gave a bad performance, although I wouldn't say that all the performances were perfect either. The kids do get a special mention, although I credit the writer and director for "protecting" their acting by the way that they were filmed.
The direction, which also won an Oscar, I wasn't so crazy about. I think there were some odd choices made throughout. When you consider that this is a foreign language film...even when they're speaking English....it makes some of the choices even more confusing.
This is a very good film that's worth seeing, but I'm not sure that it should have won "Best Picture". Perhaps it did deserve to this year, in what might be a weaker year for "Best Picture" nominees?
Watch it with the wife, but not the family. This movie might not have nudity, but it's very adult.
8 out of 10.
Edited By Leisher on 1240946556
The story is very straightforward and by the numbers. There are no surprises here at all. I truly think what got the Oscar folks' attention is the fact that this film came shows them something they've never seen before, India. Combine the conditions in India with the cute kids and you've got enough heart string tugging to win an Oscar.
The story follows a young man who is on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" He's doing quite well for himself as he's up to $10 million. (That's not a spoiler.) However, the police and the show's producers think he's a cheater and don't understand how this "slumdog" is doing what doctors, lawyers, professors, etc. haven't been able to do. Thus, the movie answers this mystery by showing where in the man's life he learned the answer to whatever is being asked.
It's a cool concept, but not revolutionary.
The acting throughout is very good. I don't believe that anyone gave a bad performance, although I wouldn't say that all the performances were perfect either. The kids do get a special mention, although I credit the writer and director for "protecting" their acting by the way that they were filmed.
The direction, which also won an Oscar, I wasn't so crazy about. I think there were some odd choices made throughout. When you consider that this is a foreign language film...even when they're speaking English....it makes some of the choices even more confusing.
This is a very good film that's worth seeing, but I'm not sure that it should have won "Best Picture". Perhaps it did deserve to this year, in what might be a weaker year for "Best Picture" nominees?
Watch it with the wife, but not the family. This movie might not have nudity, but it's very adult.
8 out of 10.
Edited By Leisher on 1240946556