After having it on hand for probably 2 weeks or more (right around moving time), tonight Jenny and I finally watched this year’s Best Picture winner, Slumdog Millionaire. Before tonight I didn’t know much about it except that 1) It was a mostly Indian movie but directed by a Brit. 2) It won lots of awards including BP. 3) Everyone I knew who saw it had loved it. Sometimes I prefer to watch a movie without knowing what to expect.

We both LOVED it. The story and structure have many parallels to those of Forrest Gump. A young Indian man lives a wildly interesting life that fortuitously benefits him later when he becomes a contestant on India’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The film alternates between present time and flashbacks to the young man’s childhood so you can see where he, as an uneducated orphan, gets the answers to each of the quiz show questions. Having never seen a film set entirely in India, I also enjoyed learning a bit about Indian culture and seeing a cast of unknowns get to shine. The rich colors, music, and accents provided a refreshing changeup from the American movies I usually watch. Add it to your Netflix if you haven’t seen it.