This movie came out almost 20 years ago and much has been written about it already by much better writers and reviewers than us, so we're gonna keep this review short and sweet.
We found this movie about street kids in Bombay, although since this movie was made one of the big Hindu political parties in India has renamed the city Mumbai, to be unrelentingly sad. Just when you think the little kid who is the lead in the film is about to catch a break and have something good happen to him something comes along and stops it. It's a great character study of this child, who's real name is Shafiq Syed, and his environs in Bombay, but it's not an uplifting movie by any means.
The director, Mira Nair, went on to direct many other films, among them are The Perez Family, Monsoon Wedding, and a movie that Dr. Monkerstein is eagerly awaiting on DVD, The Namesake. Thank goodness all her movies are not big downers like Salaam Bombay! is.
The star of the film, Shafiq Syed, was a wonder in his role as the street urchin. He gets more across with one look than many Hollywood actors get across in their entire acting careers, are you listening Steven Segal? You can't help but love the kid as he struggles to survive amidst the drugs, the squalor, and the hopelessness of the Bombay streets.
In the end we recommend you see this film even though it's sadder than the time when we wrecked our Chrysler Cordoba on the way to a kegger and when we finally got to the kegger the keg was empty. Sometimes it's good to see what others have to put up with in their lives and hopefully after seeing it you will become more sensitive to other cultures and people. And you'll realize that your problems sometimes are nothing compared to what other people have to put up with on other parts of the planet.
So say us! So say we all!!!!!
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