TIFF ‘08 Preview: Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle has made a career out of never making the same film twice. He’s done noir thrillers (Shallow Grave), blacker-than-black drug comedies (Trainspotting), zombie horror (28 Days Later), “family” comedy (Millions), and sci-fi (Sunshine). In other words, you never know what to expect from the man, other than a unique and visually stunning film.

Based on the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup, Boyle’s latest follows a young boy from the slums of Mumbai who has inexplicably become a contestant on India’s version of Who Wants to be A Millionaire? However, when he’s arrested for cheating, he tells the police about his life on the streets — and the girl he lost, and whom he hopes to find again thanks to being on TV.

Admittedly, that’s not a whole lot to go on. But in the hands of someone like Boyle, I fully expect this film to be endlessly fascinating, by turns funny and moving, and packed with striking visuals.

One other point of interest: the film is written by Simon Beaufoy, who also wrote a little film called The Full Monty.