Historically, western media characterizes the inhabitants of slums in one dimensional extremes; shiftless beggards, saintly sufferers, or cold-blooded criminals. India's slums are particularly polarized in western film, which often requiring an outsider, usually a charitable, privileged westerner bestowing aid on those who can't help themselves.  The subtle and not so subtle implications are that these people can't do any better on their, as well as that their lives are all suffering or crime, or both. 

Thankfully, Slumdog Millionaire uses the darkest shadows to cast brightest light, portraying the slums of Mumbai as vibrant communities, even when bad things happen.  Simon Beaufoy's  adaptation of Vikas Swarup's novel Q&A is a darkly triumphant celebration of life not just despite of, but often because of the circumstances.  When you don't have much, sometimes it's easy to find joy in little things. 

Not that the story focuses on little things; Jamal (Dev Patel) is being interrogated by police after being accused of cheating when he's on the brink of winning the India version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.  After all, how could an uneducated orphan, a "slumdog" like him possibly know all the answers?  Jamal's life story enfolds, explaining the answers.  What ensues is a mythic tale celebrating an unbreakable spirit, the bonds of more than one kind of love.                

As a young child, Jamal is exuberant, determined, and joyful.  As a young man, he's quieter, but still just as determined.  Danny Boyle and co-director Loveleen Tandan deftly meet the challenge of balancing paradoxes, often in the same scene, and major themes and subtle nuances, and chocking the screen full of paradoxes.

If you don't watch British television, you may not be familiar with Patel (Skins), but you will.  He often looks like he's ready to jump out of his skin but for his determination; it's a performance many actors couldn't do without caricaturizing.  The other actors portraying Jamal are equally engaging, especially the children.

It's kinetic and colorful; even the subtitles for the non-English dialogue is colorful and very readable).   While most violence is implied, it's a type terrible and real enough that it scared the MPAA into damning it with an R rating, when it really should be PG13. I strongly urge those of you with teens and tweens to consider taking them to see this beautiful movie that has wowed audiences everywhere.

It starts today at the Alamo South and the Regal Arbor.