Slumming It

Slumdog Millionaire is worthy of the acclaim it has received. The story, acting, and directing of the film are all well executed. Aside from a few scenes in which the audience really needs to suspend its belief in reality, the film does an exellent job of entertaining the public as well as portraying the life of poverty in India.

The film follows the story of Jamal (Dev Patel), an 18-year-old from the slums of Mumbai, as he tries to reunite with his lost love from childhood, Latika (Freida Pinto). To find a connection with her, he manages to get on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? because he knows she'll watch it. The story is told in flashbacks in relation to how an uneducated young man like Jamal knows the answers to the questions.

Director Danny Boyle and co-director Loveleen Tandan do an excellent job of showing the horrors of life as child beggars under the control of a man exploiting their situation. Fortunately, they also add in some comic relief to lighten to mood a depressing life in the slums.

Slumdog Millionaire is definitely Oscar-worthy. While Benjamin Button may be a wonder film, this one is better and should win for best picture.