Slumdog Millionaire

WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE IN LIFE GIVES YOU KNOWLEDGE TO HELP YOU IN THE FUTURE 

The Slumdog Millionaire 

movie gets a thumbs up 

from MeLiSsA. 

Slumdog Millionaire is a film that cannot only touch your heart through the love story of Jamal and Latika but also makes you think of the lives of  the children in India.

This film begins as Jamal is being interrogated by the police in India for answering the questions to a game show correctly and he is being accused of cheating. Jamal in fact is not cheating and endures a horrific day of torture as he is being questioned, he stands his ground and begins to tell the police how he knows the answers through his life experiences. Jamal tells the story of his mother being killed in front of his brother Salim and how they ran into a girl named Latika when they were living on the streets trying to survive. They become beggars for a high profile man who intends to get every penny from the children, at any means. Jamal, Salim, and Latika see their chance to run away and get away from this life. They run to a train however Latika is lift behind and Jamal wonders about her for many years. We begin to see how cruel Salim can be.

Jamal and Salim make their living selling things on a train, later get kicked off of the train at the Taj Mahal where they begin to make a life for themselves there. Jamal wonders about Latika everyday. He tells many stories from his childhood to the police officer and soon they suspect that he may be telling the truth. Jamal holds his ground and stays true to himself by not giving into the torture he is enduring.

Jamal tells the story of how they found Latika again and she was being trained to be a prostitute and a dancer. They come to save her and she gets away from that life. Only for a moment, soon Salim sees this an an opportunity for him to become a "man". He takes Latika away from Jamal and rapes her. Jamal is furious and leaves his brother only to find him years later. Jamal's determination shines through. There is hope Latika is alive.

Jamal tells the story of him finding Latika again only to find out that his own brother had known where she was the entire time. He Jamal's intense feeling for Latika lead him to a moment where he has the opportunity to see her again. Jamal finds Latika, she was scared and not happy. He tries to take her away from the life she is living and they get caught. Latika is caught by Salim of all people. Salim, Jamal's very own brother is showing his betrayal.

From this point on Jamal is determined to get Latika to see him again. Jamal gets on a game show in hopes of Latika seeing him, and she does. Salim sees his wrong doing and lets Latika leave with the keys to the car. Salim knows that this decision will lead to his death, however to his brothers happiness and Latika being safe once and for all. Salim kills the man who was forcing Latika to stay in turn he is killed by the men that he was supposed to be working with. Salim shows that he still cares for Jamal's happiness when he gives his own life for Jamal and Latika to be happy.

Jamal and Latika meet at the train station after the final question was answered by a guess. They are finally together.

My favorite scene in the film is when Jamal wants so badly to meet his childhood idol and gets locked into the out house and the only way to get out was to dive into a pile of urine and feces. I feel that this was the beginning of Jamal showing his courage to do anything.

It is a film about friendship, gratitude, love, betrayal, poverty and hope. I feel this is a must see film. The emotions that go from laughter to almost tears will keep you on your seat wanting to watch this one more time.