I have to admit, I’ve been avoiding this movie. It’s just that when there is a movie that is so universally adored as this one is (I honestly have not heard one negative thing about it) chances are I’m going to be severely underwhelmed.Then, about a half an hour in I remembered that I’m watching a Danny Boyle movie, and that I’m safe here. I shouldn’t have worried at all and should have watched it on the big screen.There is nothing I can say about it that hasn’t already been said. Normally I don’t like movies that market themselves as “feel good” pictures because honestly the majority of them make me feel depressed, and for awhile while watching this movie I was throughly upset. Dev Patel (who up until this point I only had known as the guy from Skins that I see in icons sometimes) is PHENOMINAL as Jamal, and where as in the hands of someone less capable the more desperate of the lines could have come out hokey, his earnestness makes it all seem real and tragic.My one complaint with the whole thing was the storyline with Salim and his path in life. I didn’t like that aspect of the film (though his redeption scene was heartwrenching) and didn’t like it any more in 2003 when it was called City of God.If I may nerd out for a moment on the shot composition of this film? GOOD GRAVY IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE. Boyle really captured “the whole world is watching” feeling in the last 20 minutes of the movie. If you haven’t seen it yet (I may actually be the last person on Earth to see it though) pay attention to the throughline of the color yellow. I thought it was a really interesting choice visually and I liked it a lot.The use of music was nothing short of brilliant. I especially liked the Bollywood tribute at the end and the great use of M.I.A’s song “Paper Planes.” I thought the M.I.A song was great in Pineapple Express but this showed how it can be a more gritty song than just about getting high.Finally, on a superficial note: Dev Patel has a really grossly adorable smile, and I was chagrined to find out that I am 3 years older than him. PEDOBEAR APPROVED.

I have to admit, I’ve been avoiding this movie. It’s just that when there is a movie that is so universally adored as this one is (I honestly have not heard one negative thing about it) chances are I’m going to be severely underwhelmed.
Then, about a half an hour in I remembered that I’m watching a Danny Boyle movie, and that I’m safe here. I shouldn’t have worried at all and should have watched it on the big screen.
There is nothing I can say about it that hasn’t already been said. Normally I don’t like movies that market themselves as “feel good” pictures because honestly the majority of them make me feel depressed, and for awhile while watching this movie I was throughly upset. Dev Patel (who up until this point I only had known as the guy from Skins that I see in icons sometimes) is PHENOMINAL as Jamal, and where as in the hands of someone less capable the more desperate of the lines could have come out hokey, his earnestness makes it all seem real and tragic.
My one complaint with the whole thing was the storyline with Salim and his path in life. I didn’t like that aspect of the film (though his redeption scene was heartwrenching) and didn’t like it any more in 2003 when it was called City of God.
If I may nerd out for a moment on the shot composition of this film? GOOD GRAVY IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE. Boyle really captured “the whole world is watching” feeling in the last 20 minutes of the movie. If you haven’t seen it yet (I may actually be the last person on Earth to see it though) pay attention to the throughline of the color yellow. I thought it was a really interesting choice visually and I liked it a lot.
The use of music was nothing short of brilliant. I especially liked the Bollywood tribute at the end and the great use of M.I.A’s song “Paper Planes.” I thought the M.I.A song was great in Pineapple Express but this showed how it can be a more gritty song than just about getting high.
Finally, on a superficial note: Dev Patel has a really grossly adorable smile, and I was chagrined to find out that I am 3 years older than him. PEDOBEAR APPROVED.