Review of Slumdog Millionaire (2008) by Davidb — 01 Mar 2009

Without doubt one of my all time worst experiances in the cinema - and a prime example of how seemingly intelligent critics would rather not upset the apple cart and state the facts - this film is awfull! The script is badly written, characters are totally without any depth or substance, serious themes of poverty are used as puerile plot points then thrown away as and when it doesn't serve a totally twee unbelievable romance.

The acting is uniformly amatureish - none of the protaganists create any humanity beyond the writers belief you should care for them due to their sufferings - and the fact they are contrasted with one dimensional evil characters all around them.

Maybe if the director wanted to make some serious points about 3rd world poverty he could of done it with more rounded characters? Some of the representations of India (police torture because you get a few questions right on a game show) are ludicrous verging on racist.

Which maybe ok in a fairy tale, but then don't make a fairy tale and use serious issues as plot devices. Far from being proud of this piece of dirge (as the UK press are suggesting) British Cinema should bow it's head in shame.