Everyone seems to be going crazy on Slumdog. People are watching Free Screenings everywhere. Dany Boyle is all over NPR. Even KCRW is talking about it. NPR even had a segment on "HINGLISH" as a related Looks like FOX is backing it in a big way.
In next few days you'll read a lot of great things about the film. And thats why I feel I must write this post & express the things that didn't work for me. This is not a review of Slumdogs. Its mostly the issues I had with the film. And it mostly stems from a common problem of all such films.
I went into the film with a lot of anxiety. I have a major pet peeve when it comes to American/British directors come to India & make films. With the exception of of Gandhi, nothing has worked for me. Lets say its the WHITE MEN's ACHILLES HEEL, when it comes to making films in India. I watched 2 of the most celebrated films about India - A Passage to India & The River. I found both the movies unbearable. And THE RIVER changed Martin Scorcesse's life. Its very hard for me to watch rural or poor Indians speaking English on screen. Have you seen a South American or European film where the characters talk in accented English because the film needs an wider audience? The only example I can recall right now is my fav director Julian Schnabel's beautiful mistake Before Night Falls. And Julian learnt from his mistake. In his next masterpiece The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. The french are speaking french. No Kidding!
When I heard Danny talk about how Loveleen Tandon asked him to make the film in Hindi, I was quite relieved. But I was also surprised that someone had to say that to a genius like Boyle. But the film is mostly English. A Inspector talks to his constable in English. No Kidding. Two uneducated, brothers from the slums talk to each other in English. I didn't buy the logic given in the film. They made the kids speak in hindi. And thank god for that. The kids were the best part of the film.
And then there is the case of casting a British actor Dev Patel in the lead role. I saw the Q&A @ Toronto Festival on Youtube last month & that's when i found out the actors are not Indians. I was quite shocked. And my fears did come true. You can hear a slight British accent in his English. And it becomes progressively stronger as the film reaches its climax. His brother was probably the strongest character in the film, but when the grown up version starts talking in English it just took the fizz out of the film.
And that language problem also leads to problems with acting. For Danny Boyle to get the nuances of that is unfair. It usually only works the other way when Non English Speaking Geniuses go to Hollywood & make films there (Cuaron). Sometimes the acting just seemed like the actors are just following instructions. And the scene where the Brother says"GOD is GREAT". Come the fuck ON Danny. For a second I thought I was watching a Subhash Ghai film.
Now I also feel the film must get nominated for two things - Cinematography & Adapted Screenplay (maybe Editing too). The movie starts with such a fucking bang. The first 30 minutes will blow anyone's mind. It has such a kinetic energy about it(City OF God like). Its also when they are kids & speaking in Hindi.
If you see or hear Danny Boyle promoting the film you can tell what happened. He got so blown by the visual possibilities of the film, it just overtook him. He literally showed the whole country in the film. In 2 minutes. Watch a part of it here -
It is also the most kinetic film Danny has made since Trainspotting. And it will go down as his best since Trainspotting. I think it will take the Best Cinematography award.
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