Slumdog Millionaire

Instead of going to a boliche (disco) or bar tonight, I went to a movie with a friend of mine from Colombia at a theater near my apartment. There were two choices: Milk and Slumdog Millionaire. After seeing the rave reviews Slumdog Millionaire got at the Oscars, we opted for that. I was NOT disappointed. From a cultural perspective, it was pretty interesting to watch the audience as the film progressed - partially because the film was part in English and part in Hindi, with Spanish subtitles. So, for all of us, it was somewhat challenging to follow with subtitles in Spanish/English.

I won't spoil the plot/ending for those who haven't watched it, but this is a must-see. Very rarely do people clap after the movie ends, but tonight the entire audience clapped very enthusiastically. What was most revealing to me was a brief interaction that occurred in the theater that Gabriel brought to my attention. The movie clearly pointed out the abject poverty that exists in much of India.

He overheard an older Argentine patron ask another Argentine patron if he liked the movie as we left. His answer was pretty revealing: "Y nosotros nos quejamos!" In English, he said, "And we complain about our situation!" It just goes to show that, even though things are bad here, things are much worse in so many parts of the world. The movie really makes me realize that, as bad as things may seem for those of us fortunate to have a roof over our heads, dinner on the table, and a job, that things are a lot worse for so many other people in the world.

Click here to watch the clip of Slumdog Millionaire and, if you haven't seen it, go see it!