Slumdog Millionaire

I finally saw Slumdog Millionaire last night. I’ve been wanting to see it since I first heard of it, and my desire has only grown as I’ve heard more about the film.

I was a little worried going into it that perhaps my expectations were set too high. There was no way it could live up to the hype, could it?

Perhaps not. Perhaps that is impossible. But it sure came close.

There is a harsh portrayal of poverty, corruption, and greed – and the effect those things have on people, especially children. But even in the midst of that there are moments of delight, joy, freedom. And it is a fairy tale, and there is a happy ending, and it’s wonderful.

In church on Sunday, the pastor made the comment that the only reason we, as Christians, should look back at our pasts is to remember God’s blessings, the things we’ve learned, the good He’s done for us, not to examine our failures and the hurt. I thought of that last night as I watched the film. There’s a moment, right at the end of the film, when an earlier scene is played in reverse, like a video rewinding, from its tragic end to its hopeful beginning.

The pain, horror, and sorrow of the past was not gone for the characters, no, that couldn’t happen no matter how delightful a fairy tale. But instead of looking back at the bad, they chose to see through it and dwell on the moments of joy.