Don't look now, but there's an Indian movie coming out of the Telluride Film Festival that is getting tons of (Oscar) buzz.
It was handed off to Fox Searchlight from the hapless Warner Independent Pictures, which means that it might just turn into another Little Miss Sunshine or Juno.
It's a crowd-pleasing, common-man-coming-up-from-the-streets Horatio Alger-type tale.
And naturally, it's made by a white British director, Danny Boyle.
And naturally, since it's a movie set in India made by non-Indians, it has the great Irrfan Khan in it (an apparent requirement that I am very happy about). I am hoping that long-time Bollywood great Anil Kapoor can parlay his role into similar ubiquity.
And naturally, since it's such a hit with film festival critics out here in the West, it's got to have some connection to slums/brothels/poverty/caste/pick-your-hoary-negative-Indian-cliche-here.
The movie is called Slumdog Millionaire (apparently Born Into Brothels was already taken).
It's based on a novel by Vikas Swarup called Q & A, but naturally an Indian movie without "slum" or "brothel" in the title is never going to be taken seriously by Western movie audiences.
Look, I am happy for this movie and happy for the great Danny Boyle. I'm sure he's hoping that this bit of flashy, easily digestible exoticism will do for his career what City of God did for Fernando Meirelles.
I'm just a little bitter that again it's a very specific side of India that gets showcased out here in the West. India's cinematic self-image (as evidenced by Bollywood films) and it's outside cinematic image are so vastly different that it is a little deflating to know that no matter how powerful the Indian economy is, or how ascendant India's position in the world becomes, the West will continue to impose a very specific prism though which to view the country.
Okay, fine, I confess.
Look, the truth is I'm jealous okay?
Here I am twiddling my thumbs getting fat (literally) with my cushy American lifestyle, working at a dead-end corporate job (albeit with lots of nice little perks), watching my fast-fading youth disappear in front of my eyes and a Brit goes all the way to India and makes a crackerjack movie, a crackerjack Indian movie.
I hate you Danny Boyle, you magnificent bastard!
Quotes
"[T]akes us to a level that tops the Rockies for heightened experience.
"There's never been anything like this densely detailed phantasmagoria -- groundbreaking in substance, d*mned near earth-shaking in style.
"Mr. Boyle and his colleagues...have pulled off a soaring, crowd-pleasing fantasy."
Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal
"In terms of new titles and industry excitement, the runaway smash was Danny Boyle’s exhilarating, madly entertaining drama.
"Driven by fantastic energy and a torrent of vivid images of India old and new, 'Slumdog Millionaire' is a blast."
Todd McCarthy, Variety
"Don't be surprised if the new year rolls around and we're talking about Oscar noms and significant box office for 'Slumdog.'
"Like their studio brethren, the specialty world could find that in a tough year, they, too, have Indians coming to the rescue."
Steven Zeitchik, Variety
"There's sadness and tragedy within Slumdog Millionaire...but there's humor, humanity and dignity as well.
"Boyle, stepping outside the UK to focus his lens on India, seems to have freed himself here to bring his brilliance as a director to its fullest fruition.
"He's made a joyous, fun, and wonderfully accessible film."
Kim Voynar, Cinematical
LINKS
IMDB: Slumdog Millionaire
Variety Review
WSJ Review
Cinematical Review
Amazon: Q & A
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