Open your bag of popcorn, take a sip of your soda and get ready to spend enjoyable time
some of the cream of the crop British actors in “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” as they create the magic only they can.
They are lured to a retirement destination in Jaipur, India, by a brochure promising them a luxurious time at the hotel run by Sonny (Dev Patel of “Slumdog Millionaire) which has seen much better days. Though he wants to bring the place back to its glory days his mother wants him to return home to Delhi and marry the girl she has picked out for him instead of Sunaina (Tena Desae) the girl he loves.
Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) is a recent widow left destitute by her husband and forced to sell her apartment while Douglas and Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) are an unhappily married couple who lost their money backing their daughter in a business. Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) is a cantankerous older women who has come to India to get a hip replacement since it is cheaper than in England and Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) has returned to find a love he lost 40 years ago. Margie Hardcastle (Celia Imne) is looking for a husband while Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup), with a pocket full of Viagra, is looking for sex.
Another star of the movie is India itself in its noise, poverty, colors and beauty photographed by Ben Davis letting you discover the city and country as the characters do.
Directed by John Madden and the screenplay written by Ol Parker the movie is sweet, funny and at times unexpectedly moving. Many times you know what is coming and, yet, something completely different happens. Each actor and actress brings that something special that they have been bringing to movies for years and the routine becomes outstanding.
There are many funny quips that you have to discover for yourself along the way while the theme of the movie is repeated at the beginning, middle and, in case you missed it, at the end. It is worth listening to and remembering.
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” will give you more than most movies do today especially the sure, easy looking, meaningful performances. See it!
