Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Like I said before, I plan to review every movie I see, DVD or theaters. And since I can't currently afford to go to the theater to see every new release I will be doing alot of DVD reviews. (sorry) We all know about "Slumdog" we heard about the 8 Oscars and 88 total movie award wins. It's supposed to be the best movie of last year if you listen to the "movie business". I am anti movie business reviews!
Slumdog Millionaire is a deep heartfelt love story that frankly does not merit the "R" rating given to it. This is a classic case of the movie studio really influencing the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), see the movie industry has pull over the ratings their movies recieve. For instance a studio can get a true R rated movie rated PG-13 to make it available to a wider audience selection, which makes sense. But in some instances an independant film like this one wants to be taken more seriously by the viewing audience, thus a PG MAYBE PG-13 movie like "Slumdog" gets an "R" rating.
While it has a strong message and a good plot, good writing, good cinematography, it is an independant movie. By that I mean that... well independants do tend to think more highly of themselves because they don't associate with the "corrupt" Hollywood business types who can influence the way a movie is made. There are some lines of dialoge that, while effective, and frankly deeply emotional, they don't fit into the flow of the scene and detract from the ultimate purity of the film. It makes the particular scene cheesy and less believable as a true story.
Dev Patel is the male lead, Jamal, an Indian call center "chai wallah" or "tea servant." He has lost contact with his last remaining family member, his brother Salim, and his childhood love Latika. He decides to use the most popular show in the country, "Who wants to be a Millionaire" to find her, hoping she would see him on the show and find him.
Being a "Slumdog" or poor person from the slums, it is understandably unbelievable that Jamal has made it all the way to the 20 Million rupee question. If he can get it right he will be the greatest winner in Indian television history.
The movie opens with Jamal being... interrogated by police...violently. He swears to his knowing the answers and so, during a conversation with the cheif, he recalls the instances in his life that lead to each and every answer. We go back and see him as a child begging for an autograph from the most famous actor in India, we see him and his brother stealing and running, and leading false tours of the Taj Mahal to foreign tourists.
Other than the overly dramatic dialaogue in parts, the writing is very effective and giving the audience the appropriate emotions in the moment. The cinematography is very good considering the entire movie was filmed in India. This movie has been hailed as the link between "Bollywood" and Hollywood, using many traditional Hollywood names in production and an all Indian cast. I didn't expect the acting to be very good considering all the "acting" we can see on Youtube by just terrible, attractive, "actors."
Now for the rating: for teenagers looking to oogle... 2.5/5. For adults looking for a deep experience... 4-4.5/5. for children... 2/5 (only because, while safe for children, I'd imagine many of them becoming restless and just annoying other moviegoers). So adults or young people looking for a "smarter" movie and a good story, you'll enjoy this one, and don't let the "R" stand in your way my Mormon friends, it's not a true "R"