Review of Millions (2005) by Jamie M — 25 Jan 2012

In recent years, the name of British director Danny Boyle immediately recalls this yearâ(TM)s 127 Hours and, even more prominently, the near-legendary Slumdog Millionaire. But few remember that he rose to fame after a string of less-than-quality works in the early millennium with 28 Days Later, and even less recall Millions.

Based on a little-known 2004 childrenâ(TM)s book (the first book by screenwriter Frank Cottrell Bryce, who wrote the film), the film is nonetheless one of the best low-budget family films Iâ(TM)ve seen in quite a while.

The movie is set in a theoretical time when England changes pounds for Euros â" feasible in 2005, but increasingly unlikely under the current economy. After their motherâ(TM)s death, the Cunningham brothers, Damian and Anthony, move into an upscale neighbourhood transected by an express railway. Damian, the younger of the two, has a fascination with historic saints, and builds a hermitage of cardboard boxes and wood pallets near the railway tracks; a location characterized by far too many sped-up shots of passing trains. In fact, the entire beginning of the movie seems over directed; showy visual effects are used unnecessarily, particularly during a CGI sequence in which the brothersâ(TM) new house builds itself in minutes.

A few minutes in, the style calms down as Damian is visited by numerous Saints in his improvisational hideout. By giving the Saints personalities and uniqueness as people, the scenes seem realistic and never too preachy, something quite uncommon in a film with a religious message.

One day, a Nike duffel bag stuffed to overflowing with cash falls into Damianâ(TM)s hermitage, seemingly out of the heavens. Taking it as a miracle, he brings the bag home and shares it with his brother.

At this point, Millions seems to split into two distinct tones, between the materialistic and the spiritual. The scenes involving the money are heavily montage-driven, with shots of sped-up counting and piles of bills building up, usually accompanied by rock music. Meanwhile, as Damian continues having visitations, monastic chanting and eerie chimes accompany countless time-lapses of rolling clouds.

While Anthony seeks out more and more extravagant ways to spend their winnings on themselves before the currency change, Damian donates hundreds of pounds at a time to helping the poor, unwittingly bringing suspicion on the boys.

The film grows darker as the Cunninghams learn the truth about the Cashâ(TM)s origins, and plunges into some quite conflicted questions about greed and morality. While young actor Alex Etel never seems to generate much emotional lift as the young protagonist, his acting is better by far than most of his age, and Millions is nonetheless captivating. Unlike so many family films, it neither talks down to kids nor mocks adults. The game-changing epilogue, one of the best endings in recent memory, lets the hour-forty go out on a high note. Millions is certainly not your average family movie â" there are no over-contrived romances or dramatic action scenes to subdue hyperactive ten-year-olds â" but quite simply a brilliant movie in all senses.

(I watched Millions in my Film Studies class. This is the review I wrote for it.).