Millions is a rich journey

A bag full of cash falls from a clear blue sky and into the suburban world of a boy who is certain his prayers have been answered.

Director Danny Boyle has never hesitated to lace his films with pungent reality. One of his early films was Trainspotting. In Millions, he mixes mortals and saints to illustrate the fact that we’re all in this aloneness together.

Seven-year-old Damien becomes the accidental recipient of 279,000 British Pounds when a bag is tossed from a train and lands on his cardboard hermitage. Damien believes the money is heaven-sent, despite the presence of Nike’s trademark “swoosh” on the side of the bag.

When his 9-year-old brother Anthony convinces Damien not to tell his dad about the cash, their divergent ideas about wealth become obvious.

They‘v e just moved to the suburbs after their mother‘s death. Anthony wants to fit in; Damien couldn’t if he tried.

His encyclopedic knowledge of Catholic saints and blatant quirkiness, in addition to his new-found wealth, make him the odd man on campus.

The bag of British notes is about to become worthless due to the (fictional) switch from Sterling to Euro. With an impending deadline, Damien insists on giving the money to the poor. His brother is keen on real estate investment and tours properties with a confused realtor.

Anthony also employs a posse of pre-teen bodyguards to bolster his image, and his preoccupation with the sack of money becomes manic.

His fans will notice strong similarities to the storyline of Boyle’s 1994 film, Shallow Grave. Millions is clearly a more inspiring and buoyant film compared with Shallow Grave’s darkness.

In Millions, Boyle and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle turn the screen into a rolling canvas. Computer-generated shots give the film a sense of childlike fantasy. Boyle compassionately manages to draw out a world within a world.

A lean musical score plays beneath scenes, depicting a suburban neighborhood that is surreal in its plainness. Damien’s neighbors are odd, and somehow their oddity makes Damien’s conversations with saints seem absolutely plausible.

Damien’s dad, who eventually finds out about the cash, is played expertly by James Nesbitt. Actress Daisy Donovan, as Dorothy, brings levity to the family at a time when they need it. The adult characters remain secondary to the seemingly complicated world of the youngsters.

Alex Etel plays Damien. Millions is his first film, and will not be his last. Etel portrays Damien’s clever innocence with loads of style... and freckles. He plays part reluctant comic, part philosopher.

When it becomes apparent that the bag of cash was not sent by God, Damien says, “Who else would have that kind of money?”

Thieves are soon wise to the missing bag. This, in combination with the currency switchover, creates a panic among the entire family. When the pressure is on, Damien is surprised to see things morally devolve.

Millions is not a life-changing film, but screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce (24 Hour Party People) has crafted a script that poses worthy questions. He allows us to explore them through the wise eyes of an innocent, all the while taking a great cinematic journey.