Slumdog Millionaire

With the Oscars coming up on Sunday I went through the past winners to find something to watch and realised I've never seen the Danny Boyle smash-hit of 2008, and winner of Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire. I remember when it came out thinking that this wouldn't be a film for me and resolutely stood by that to the point where the whole craze passed me by.

Confidently into my 20s and with a new-found respect for films without car chases or Angelina Jolie, I can declare that I was wrong to resist watching this for so long. I thought it was excellent. Fearing that perhaps it would be a simple story of Dev Patel, playing lead Jamal Malik, winning Indian Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, I was pleasantly surprised with the backstory behind each of his answers. I enjoy films which jump between time periods as it keeps you on your toes. Boyle does a good job in ensuring that things do not become messy nor leave you wondering who's who or what's what, a mistake often seen with this type of filming. The poetic connections between some of the answers were the sort which make you go "aaahhhhh" whilst openly grinning.

The child actors were terrific, especially the youngest Jamal who was adorable as the younger brother of bully Salim and really helped to make the early days of the Malik brothers' lives interesting. Often if they aren't up to scratch, films lose impact and become un-believable when the children don't act well but thats no problem here. Some incredible shots of India during this period, especially during the slum scenes, were fantastic on the eye. The vivid colours of the locals washing their "things" were amazing and, although I've never been, I felt like I got a real sense of the frenzy of India.

Having found Dev Patel incredibly annoying in his breakthrough role in Skins, I didn't think of him as that character at all, a sign that his acting was successful. I did though find in some parts that his face seemed to be stuck in a "I've had a really hard, troubled life and am in constant discomfort" kind of expression which was a bit one dimensional but on the whole he was very good. Anil Kapoor had the perfect swagger for the presenter of the show and so too Madhur Mittal, playing Salim Malik, was authentic as Jamal's troubled brother, however I could not help but think all throughout the time he was on screen that he looked exactly like Bruno Mars????

Onto Freida Pinto then, as the stunningly attractive Latika, the childhood sweetheart of Jamal. She had relatively little involvement but for me, as long as I never think something like "she can't act" or "thats not believable" then said actor has done a solid job and this is the case for Freida. Obviously she is sensational to look at in shot but for this, and for reasons I shall explain, Slumdog falls down a bit and leaves me questioning as to whether it is a film deserved of 8 Oscars.

It was obvious from the minute Jamal allowed Latika into his temporary shelter aged around 5 or 6 that they would be destined to become adult lovers. The only thing that I believe let the film down was the fact that even in pre-adolescence, Jamal was talking of his "destiny" to find and be with Latika and he, on several occasions throughout the film, mentioned that she was all he'd been looking for. I don't know about others but when I was 12,13,14 the last thing I was thinking about was being in love and getting married, and I was hardly the butchest of teenagers. I realise that this isn't as suited to Hollywood as an epic tale of romance but for me Slumdog wasn't a "Hollywood" film. It had more depth to it until it became about simply Jamal finding his love. I'm not saying it makes the film bad by any means. It was thoroughly enjoyable throughout but it had potential to be alot more.

 

The romantic in me though, as I have shown in previous posts, was thrilled with the ending. I did, though, think that Boyle could have made it slightly less obvious that they would be together, as it was a touch predictable. This said, the very end sequence left me unashamedly teary!!...Not for long though as the ridiculous post-credit "dance" I found to be utterly idiotic. After an intense and passionate story I didn't think a comic dance with the main cast at the spot where Latika and Jamal came together was in any way appropriate. My sense of humour had been put to one side for a dramatic couple of hours and the credits only caused me to raise a sceptical eyebrow and take the DVD out in frustration.

All in all though, it was, as quoted on the poster "a heartwarming story" and as an original way to tell a story from India, it deserves great credit but 8 Oscars....I'm not so sure....

Never Let Me Go

In adapting Kazuo Ishiguro's haunting novel onto the big-screen, Mark Romanek has taken a big gamble. But he has come up trumps!

This chilling story begins with a glimpse of the ending. Immediately struck by the cold and empty feel, I knew it wasn't going to be an easy film to get through. The tale begins with Cathy, Ruth and Tommy as children in the seemingly tranquil and prestigious boarding school Halesham and grow up to discover a shocking truth about why they were there.

Romanek has unearthed three absolute gems in the forms of the child actors who all do a stellar job of creating the characters backgrounds and gives them real substance as they grow up. Indeed, he encouraged their adult counterparts to spend as much time as possible with them before filming began and this really comes through in their on-screen performances, not only the startling physical resemblance but in their mannerisms and movements. All too often I find that when a film shows characters as children and adults there is no real connection between them and it can sometimes feel like a totally separate story but here, messers Garfield, Mulligan and Knightley really do seem like the very sweet, innocent children that are first shown to us.

Being a huge fan of Andrew Garfield before I watched this I was looking forward to seeing him take on an all together different role from that in The Social Network, a film I believed should've scored him Best Supporting Actor. However it was Carey Mulligan who totally stole the show. The way she played the innocent darling Cathy was stunning. Having been in love with Tommy her whole life you can really sense her anguish at seeing him and best friend Ruth together. She nailed the balance between weakness and strength and was captivating to watch. All three leads were brilliant and even Keira Knightley, who seems to annoy me in every film, was great despite her character being a bit of a bitch!!

Before I go further though I must warn that isn't a film that you enjoy, in so much as the story has a dark undertone and the questions it leaves you with go deep into the heart of what it is to live. Without giving away too much, it left me thinking, just like Cathy and Tommy, how best to use your short time on Earth. One scene in particular, when they are out in the country on a drive, is superbly acted and particularly harrowing.

Taking on such a novel, Romanek had to produce a cold, almost depressing film on the eye. Bleak landscapes, most of the time in a misty winter, and soft, greyish colours all seduce you into the misery of the story. One scene though, in which the friends, having previously never been in public, are ordering in a cafe, made me laugh and I think the few scenes that do, help to bring a lightness that without, would've made the film near-unbearable to watch in terms of the ever-present shocking truth.

The film raises some very potent issues and at its core is a simple story of friendship, love and living life. The cast project perfectly the innocence of young adults who don't know what it is to live free and deserve great credit, along with the Director Romanek. I haven't read the book but if it's half as good as the film then I'm sure it's brilliant and popular opinion is that it does a good job in re-producing Ishiguro's provocative narrative.

One slight problem I have with an otherwise excellent story though is, and don't read this paragraph if you haven't seen it, that they never once seem to think about the option to try and escape? They are allowed out and granted they have the electronic tags on but not once do they mention it or seem to entertain the idea that they could run away, and we're given no reason to assume it's impossible. Perhaps it is a detail missed out of the film but is in the book I don't know, but i couldn't help but think this throughout. However it wasn't enough to significantly reduce my enjoyment!

Not one for a bright, summers day Never Let Me Go is nevertheless a powerful and moving film which will resonate with you long after you've watched it....

Blue Valentine

Wow. A thoroughly tumultuous couple of hours.

Tearing apart at the seams the usual boy-meets-girl plot this brutal portrayal of how love fades and the struggle couples face to keep a marriage alive, Blue Valentine has left me without hope to find "the One". Interspersed with "flashbacks", Cianfrance cleverly kept the ending a mystery keeping alive my unflinching faith in love and the hope that Dean and Cindy would patch things up right until the credits rolled. To my absolute horror I didn't get the tearful, fairytale ending I was yearning for from films like the Notebook which, despite being one of my all-time favourites, I guess you see all too often. However this is exactly what sets Blue Valentine apart and why it's such a worthwhile watch.

With only a simple backing score and no lyrical music, the platform was laid bare and the acting had nowhere to hide. And nor did it. Without any shadow of a doubt Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling should be in the running for some sort of recognition for their intensely raw performances as a couple in a battle with love. Without sensationalising it at all at times it did transcend acting and it genuinely felt like being a fly-on-the wall of a real couple. Towards the end Gosling opens himself up as Dean in a way men are usually never shown on the silver-screen. The rawness of every conflict they have is so intense it's one of those films where after a 30 second period you realise you've been holding your breath.

Despite the increasingly depressing direction of the present scenes, the flashbacks are entertaining and gives the film a more youthful and playful balance but naturally Blue Valentine is all about the gritty, dirty side of a relationship. As a starry-eyed, impressionable, young and single man it doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence that a perfect romantic life awaits me but that is where the film delivers. Playing with the idea that many, like myself I admit, are often in love with the very idea of being in love and in throwing away the proverbial text-book you're taken on a turbulent ride and it is certainly a chastening experience.

Many years in the making I think Cianfrance can be immensely proud of making a love film the likes of which have never been seen before. The performances of Gosling and Williams cannot be overstated and their dedication to this indie project, including actually living together for months, is testament to them as professionals and serves to produce a film that perhaps you won't be rushing to watch again soon but is nevertheless an immensely piercing and profound take on love. It now seems to have been a good idea of mine to have watched it on Valentines Day...

The King's Speech- Hurrah!

Setting out with slight apprehension to watch the Awards magnet The King's Speech, I left with unanticipated pride for being British!

It would be easy to simply call this Tom Hooper feature great but I will anyway. It is a great piece of British film. With a self-confessed small budget and a lack of any obvious action, romance or sex, Hooper delivers an incredibly enjoyable movie.

Without wanting to jump on the Colin Firth band-wagon I reluctantly admit that his performance is brilliant and he well deserves the BAFTA he was awarded and the Oscar he is surely going to receive. Geoffrey Rush too produces a well-rounded character which again is deserved of his award. The relationship between the two is subtle and their bond visibly grows as the film progresses and as the King reluctantly lets Logue into his mind. A handful of genuinely very funny moments transcend the dialogue heavy, intense rapport that they have. I was however slightly underwhelmed by Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal of King George's wife. Perhaps it is purely due to the fact that the story is so reliant on the two lead males that there simply isn't room for her to shine as well or maybe it is this background, second-tier performance that is the skill, although I still believe that Amy Adams should've scooped the BAFTA last weekend.

The intensity of the film never ceases and it is only in the closing sequences of the film when Firth is congratulated by his children that you see his teeth during a smile. While perhaps seeming trivial, this flash of white is in stark contrast to an otherwise cold film visually! It is surprising that a simple story of friendship and of overcoming fears and obstacles to do something great has received so much attention but that is credit to Tom Hooper for translating the brilliant script into a fine big-screen feature.

Despite the fore-mentioned low budget, around £10 million, DoP Danny Cohen creates many notable scenes. A stand-out for me was the shot of Firth and Rush in Westminster Abbey. Filmed from the side it not only shows off the grandeur of the building but gives a true sense to the King's vulnerability. The simple use of the camera bring an authenticity to the film which could have potentially been lost had it "gone Hollywood" and big budget. The close-ups of Firth made me uncomfortable and claustrophobic, really helping to "connect with the character", the ideal for any director. The elegant and charming score benefit from the brilliantly quiet camerawork to provide an appropriately regal platform for the cast to deliver outstanding work.

A brief but thoroughly entertaining cameo from Timothy Spall as the iconic Winston Churchill was just one of the highlights for me. As was the equally brief but equally delightful Ramona Marquez playing one of the children, confirming herself as a starlet of child acting.

It is though, perhaps predictably, Colin Firth that must get the final mention. The innocence and deep vulnerability he creates throughout gives a real depth to King George, making him instantly likeable, and which, for me, produces the best scene in the film, in which he is provoked by Logue into standing up for himself in the Abbey. It had real sincerity and I found it genuinely moving. He is mesmerising as the stammering King and it is pleasant to see there can be such success for a British dominated story, cast and crew. Well done Co..Co..Colin Firth!!!