The movie takes part in Memphis, a city with much poverty. Michael, who's mother is a drug addict, lives in the poor part of town. After a while he gets help from a rich family, and becomes a really famous football player. (That was the extremely short summary. Click on the IMDB link for more info).
The point is that by seeing that movie, you'll get an insight in the divide between poor and rich people in the US. There are huge amounts of movies showing the differences in the world, and yes, I think that by watching them, you can be more aware.
By watching historical movies like "Angela's Ashes", which is set in Ireland during the 40's, you can learn much about Ireland's history, and how its poverty created a class divide. By watching "Slumdog Millionaire", you'll learn about Indias problems, and how enormous the differences are there. Like any other subject, there's always a movie you can watch to learn more about it. However, it's up to you to exploit your new gained knowledge, and do something about the problems out there!
