Two Movie Reviews: Slumdog Millionaire and Tell No One

Two very different movies for you today. The first is the very well-known Slumdog Millionaire. I’d say it’s reputation is well deserved. The movie was an eye opening look at a way of life I really didn’t understand before seeing the movie. To think that there are people living in these conditions, day after day, is more than upsetting. I’d seen some poor living conditions in Eastern Germany and then even worse ones in Egypt, but this blew those away by a mile. The movie’s R-rating is deserved, but just for the level of maturity I think someone needs to have to be able to watch the film. No sex, no swearing–just very disturbing violence. Not in a graphic way, but in a realistic “I can’t believe human beings do this to other human beings” way. Slumdog isn’t a movie I plan on watching again anytime soon, but I’m glad I did watch it. Four stars.

The second film is the French independent movie Tell No One. (If I wanted to be all snooty, I’d say I watched Ne le dis à personne, and then you’d all be impressed with how cultured I am.) The film was everything I wish The Fugitive had been. Very intense, with a nice twisted plot that kept me guessing from beginning to end. A man’s wife is murdered. He’s wrongfully accused of the crime, but exonerated. Eight years later, someone emails him–someone who might be his wife. Two hours plus of taut thriller. But it’s French, which means it’s also not really for the faint of heart. Three and a half stars.