Millions

On the heels of The Pursuit of Happyness came Millions a charming story with another take on the role of money. Millions is a film about the philosophy of ethics, with the tagline begging the question: “Can anybody be truly good?” The film is directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later) and is a delightful family comedy with heart and soul.

The film follows the story of two boys, Damien (Alex Etel) and Anthony (Lewis McGibbon) as they have recently lost their mother and are living with their father. The story takes place just as the UK pound is about to switch to the Euro. This gives a gang a chance to rob a poorly-secured train carrying millions of pounds on the way to incineration. During the robbery, one of the bags of money literally falls from the sky and into Damien’s playhouse. Damien, who has one heck of an imagination, has been talking to the saints and thinks he imagines the money until his brother comes along and sees it to. With the money in tow, the boys begin on a journey that allows them to see the ethics of the world around them as the one of the thieves tries to get the money back and everybody else becomes viewed in a different perspective.

The notion of cash falling from the sky has long been immortalized in classic stories from Chaucer and so on. These stories often focus on what adults do with the money and how their maturity impacts their judgment to the point that greed tears them apart. Boyle’s Millions, however, gives us the story in a different light as kids find the money. Everything is seen through their eyes. The world is still a colourful and constantly moving place and the cinematography demonstrates that with lively exuberance and joyous camera work.

Millions is also buoyed by the great performance of its young stars. Alex Etel is a marvel as young Damien, an absolutely innocent and adorable little boy with a heart of gold that wants to help everyone he meets. His imagination is eclectic and tender, filled with good-natured thoughts of his family and friends. Damien’s life is complicated with his feelings of the death of his mother and his relationship with his father, but through his imaginative outlook on existence and his feelings of graciousness towards others he is able to pursue his dreams. Lewis McGibbon plays his brother, Anthony, who is a more realistic and serious nine year old. They form the perfect partnership, however, persisting through life despite missing their mother very much. Boyle’s film doesn’t press the grief, thankfully, and instead gives us an uplifting story of two boys that don’t ever ask “why”, they simply live on and experience joy through it.

The money is essentially a metaphor for what to do with the money, in truth. The boys and their innocence allows for a very giving nature to be put on display, as Damien wants to give it all away and Anthony wants to spend it on himself and on more frivolous things. The two boys come to some form of a compromise, as Anthony buys friends at school and Damien stuffs money into mailslots of the “needy” with the help of Father Christmas. Through Danny Boyle’s eclectic and exciting direction, this juxtaposition of habit is driven home with grace and class.

Millions is a gorgeous looking film, ripe with lots of vibrant colour and youthful exuberance. It is a delightful tale for the whole family that uses imagination and adventure to convey a gorgeous story with the happiest of happy endings. We experience the joy and excitement of the two boys, every step of the way, and have our hearts and minds opened to the true possibility of giving and how it can impact our lives as much as it can those to whom we are giving. Millions is a sweetheart of a story and the performances by Etel and McGibbon are added bonuses.

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