The winds seem to be suggesting Slumdog Millionaire could be a best picture contender this year and i have to agree. It is not that it is necessarily a film you watch thinking, "this is great, i must vote for it", nor just it entirely avoid cliche and predictability but it is a satisifying, well made watch and in this particular year that may be enough.
Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy and everyone involved has crafted an elegant, hard to dislike film. Can you find fault in it? Sure. But it lingers in the mind and scenes come back to disturb you, to make you laugh, to lift your spirit.
Where it stands such a good chance it that the film is one of the few this year where the film as 'package' is strong as opposed to one aspect. Most of the film's currently clamouring for awards voters' attentions (Doubt and Frost/Nixon - and i hear Milk - being prime examples) are cases where the performances are strong but not necessarily the film. Films that in most years would not see picture noms, just acting ones, are suddenly in contention. Slumdog Millionaire stands out because while Dev Patel and all the actors here are excellent it is not the performances that stand out, it is the film itself. It is uplifting but it gets (perhaps slightly eyebrow-raisingly melodramatically) there through a rollercoaster of shocks, laughs, violence and joy.
Added to this the fact that Fox Searchlight, the true masters of securing the "smaller indie slot" best picture nomination (Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine being just two recent examples) have the domestic rights.
Awards chances: A very good film that may not have been a best picture contender in many year's but may have found itself in the right place at the right time this year, where the overall 'package' really stands out. Expect Best Picture, maybe Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography nominations.
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