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Amy's Reviews > Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire
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I was completely unenchanted with the movie Slumdog Millionaire; the story, I felt, was predictable with characters that were totally uninteresting or completely unlikable. However, much as I was unimpressed with the movie, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was the kernel of a very interesting story there, and that maybe, just maybe, I might have a good experience with the book.
I am pleased to report that I was correct - the book [u:]Q&A[/u:] is far superior to the film. A few things that I preferred in the novel:
1. Not a linear time-frame; in the movie, the progression of questions in Millionaire followed the progress of the boy's life. In the book, this is not the case - the time-line slips around a bit, and answers to certain questions give hints of things not yet revealed that have occurred in the past. It is far more intriguing, I thought, than a simple recitation of "then this happened; then this; and then this."
2. Sunil is not a heartless murderer. One of the main problems I had with the film was the Sunil was detestable from the get-go, locking his brother in the toilet, then selling his hard-won autograph. By contrast, the character of Sunil in the novel is a sweet boy, with no relation to the narrator, who loves films, who doesn't kill anyone, and who does not become hardened by the life around him. Sunil from the book is very much what I imagine what they wanted Jamal from the movie to be, except somehow in the movie Jamal was completely lacking in charisma and was actually kind of creepy.
3. Minimal love story. I am not a person who is opposed to a love story, certainly; however, as soon as Latika was introduced in the film, I groaned inwardly, that such an interesting premise was being wasted on yet another pair of star-crossed lovers. The book, while there is certainly a romance, it does not span the entire book. Which allows Ram Mohammad Thomas (which is the character of Jamal's name in the book) to develop as a character beyond love-sick obsessive. It also allows the story to develop in interesting ways, as not everything is viewed through the lens of a forlorn lover. There are a lot more characters in the book who get their own stories, with more settings and more things happening. The book creates a believable story of how life experiences can prepare a man to win a billion Rupees on a quiz show that is entertaining, funny, tragic, and horrible, that deserves, rather than is cheapened by, its happy ending. The movie just cannot compare.
I am pleased to report that I was correct - the book [u:]Q&A[/u:] is far superior to the film. A few things that I preferred in the novel:
1. Not a linear time-frame; in the movie, the progression of questions in Millionaire followed the progress of the boy's life. In the book, this is not the case - the time-line slips around a bit, and answers to certain questions give hints of things not yet revealed that have occurred in the past. It is far more intriguing, I thought, than a simple recitation of "then this happened; then this; and then this."
2. Sunil is not a heartless murderer. One of the main problems I had with the film was the Sunil was detestable from the get-go, locking his brother in the toilet, then selling his hard-won autograph. By contrast, the character of Sunil in the novel is a sweet boy, with no relation to the narrator, who loves films, who doesn't kill anyone, and who does not become hardened by the life around him. Sunil from the book is very much what I imagine what they wanted Jamal from the movie to be, except somehow in the movie Jamal was completely lacking in charisma and was actually kind of creepy.
3. Minimal love story. I am not a person who is opposed to a love story, certainly; however, as soon as Latika was introduced in the film, I groaned inwardly, that such an interesting premise was being wasted on yet another pair of star-crossed lovers. The book, while there is certainly a romance, it does not span the entire book. Which allows Ram Mohammad Thomas (which is the character of Jamal's name in the book) to develop as a character beyond love-sick obsessive. It also allows the story to develop in interesting ways, as not everything is viewed through the lens of a forlorn lover. There are a lot more characters in the book who get their own stories, with more settings and more things happening. The book creates a believable story of how life experiences can prepare a man to win a billion Rupees on a quiz show that is entertaining, funny, tragic, and horrible, that deserves, rather than is cheapened by, its happy ending. The movie just cannot compare.
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Reading Progress
Started Reading
January 18, 2009
– Shelved
January 18, 2009
– Shelved as:
fiction
January 18, 2009
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Finished Reading
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I like your comment Jenny.I just reviewed Slumdog Millionaire and I am so wanting to lay my hands on the book now. I believe each has a life of its own and I am glad I watched the movie first. We surely want to watch something that's uplifting. The book will just take care of the more complicated issues. ;)
I'm listening to Q&A as a recorded book on my way to/from work... (9 discs will take me a while!!) I loved the movie... but am indeed loving the book more! Second the comments from Amy above. The overall arc of the story is much like the move, but so many details are changed that there's lots here to enjoy... I'm no longer inspecting for the differences but enjoying Q&A in its own right.
When I was in India I read the book two days before they released the movie. Unfortunately the movie was dubbed and was difficult to follow because there was a big difference in storyline. So I had to see the movie back home. I actually liked the movie as well and thought it was a good thing to change the story a bit.So if you've seen the movie the book is still interesting and the other way around as well.
So true. The movie was such a let down.
The book has a lot more to it, more "meat", and less focused on the love angle. Raj Mohammad Thomas is a more interesting character than Jamal. I enjoyed the film but I'm just loving the book!
Exactly my thought. When I saw the movie, My first thought was why did they not retain the original story to the "T". Book is definitely way above the movie
i didnt know there was the book... do u like the book better than the movie?? anyone???
I agree so much with what you wrote here. I actually read the book first and then went to see the movie.
I just wanted to add that I believe the movie adaptation of this book was given the "Bollywood" treatment in order to make it attractive to the bigger movie production companies. I do think that Slumdog Millionaire can be held up as an great example of how a screenwriter can morph a terrific book into a movie with mass appeal without losing too much of the book's original essence (or as you aptly said "a kernel"). Hopefully, the movie will inspire more people to pick up the book.