Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

Directors: Danny Boyle/ Loveleen Tandan (co-director: India)

Release Date: January 23, 2009

Plot Summary: Jamal Malik wins on the Indian version of "Who Wants be a Millionaire?" Jamal is eighteen years old and is an orphan from the slums of Mumbai. After answering the questions, he is accused of cheating and tortured. As they torture him, he explains how he knows each question. The movie flashes back to Jamal's childhood and each chapter of flashback is an explanation for how he know the answers.

As he remembers, we learn about his blind friend, his love of Latika, and the abuse he suffered. He tries to reach Latika but she is under the control of the local gangs. Finally she escapes and Jamal waits for her on the train a millionaire and all...

Critical Analysis: Jamal's reflections on his past take us through the slums of Mumbai and we see him endure poverty and abuse as a young child. He loses friends, family, and learns to live streetwise. Jamal continues to love Latika and we see that in spite of his difficult life he retains compassion and faith. When he is on the show to win the money, he conveys a calm and almost lack of emotion. It is hard to see how Jamal feels, and perhaps it is his way of expressing strength and also forbidding himself from getting to invested.

Annotation: Jamal Malik is a contestant on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" and he reflects back on his life in the slums as they torture him believing he cheated. Jamal talks about his family, his friends, and difficult life lessons along the way.

Genre: Drama

Curriculum Ties: sociology, World Cultures

Discussion Points:
1.) Jamal seems to remember a great deal from his childhood, do you think it is possible to self- teach and be at a higher level than a formally educated person?
2.) What do you think will happen with Latika and Jamal now?
3.) What could a million dollars do to help his old neighborhood?

Reading Level/ Age of interest: 15 and up (Rated R for mature content but it is was recommended by YALSA)

Challenge Issues: There are none, but most likely people may need to preview it before showing it to teens. it has some difficult subject matter such as violence, language, and nudity.

Selection Reasons:I chose this becasue it was on the YALSA list for Outstanding Films, and once I watched it understand why it is so widely appreciated. This film shows the hardships endured in the slum, without sugar-coating it. I watched "Born into Brothels" and it was in documentary form so therefore it honest, but it is important that a film also maintain such honesty.