The general consensus is that Englishman Danny Boyle’s (Trainspotting, Millions) venture into Bollywood results in a stirring tale of adventure, romance, and redemption.  These themes are indisputably present, but represent only the base by which a much more profound and compelling story is told.

Slumdog Millionaire, Boyle’s eighth feature film, delves deep into pressing modern issues like globalization, social partition, child labor, police brutality, entitlement, and cultural and religious discord–into territory far beyond the aforementioned themes.  It’s been widely described as a simplistic but well-crafted, “feel-good movie.”  This kind of pedestrian summation is an insult to criticism.  On the contrary, the intensely serious themes of this film present many decidedly feel-bad moments for which the rest of the film struggles to compensate.  But compensate it does.

Most audiences will likely be taken aback by the first few scenes which graphically depict our 18-year old protagonist, Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), being subjected to excruciating torture.  Jamal is is a “slum dog”–a throwaway product of the dark underbelly of Mumbai, destitute in every conceivable sense of the word.  Somehow, this inconsequential proletariat manages to land a spot on the Hindi version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” and tears through the questions making it further than anyone dreamed he could.  In utter disbelief of Jamal’s unlikely success the host, played brilliantly by Anil Kapoor, has him arrested and tortured on suspicions of cheating.

The keys to Jamal’s success are revealed through a series of flashbacks to various times in his childhood which occupy the bulk of the film.  These sequences magnificently and powerfully chronicle the gut-wrenching story of a very adult life led by a very young child.

Boyle deliberately juxtaposes completely disparate scenes  depicting pure, unabashed joy one moment and hellish, unspeakable horror the next.  The ungodly squalor, greed, hate, and abuse act as foils to the many gems throughout the picture.

Much credit must go to cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle who’s glittering, often-frenetic work behind the camera presents us with a realistic, sometimes troubling, but always gorgeous view of one of the most culturally rich and diverse places on earth.

As the story unfolds, it’s quite obvious how things are going to end.  The film’s predictability, however, is one of its assests allowing us to absorb the true themes of the picture rather than being bogged down by unnessary plot twists or gimmicks.  The familiar formula settles into a supporting role while the director’s poignant message of outrage, desperation, warning, caution and hope takes mainstage.

Slumdog Millionaire is not simply a feel-good movie.  It’s better than that.  We feel good only after we offer our sincerest humanity.  And even then, we’re never allowed to forget those crushing moments that didn’t feel so good.