The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Review
Pretty much exactly what you would expect.
I have some time to kill in my hotel in Venice waiting for a business associate to join me for dinner and thought I would dash this off. 
I saw this movie Sunday and quite enjoyed it in the same way you would enjoy ordering your same coffee drink at Starbucks: pretty much exactly what you expect with no surprises either positive or negative.
(Drink coffee image courtesy of the Funny T-Shirts category)
I have learned that as a reviewer you have to treat independent films with kid gloves. Not only are they the beloved underdog of the movie community they are also particularly sensitive children. If I say the latest George Lucas film is a steaming pile of excrement I am but one voice in a sea of lost souls wailing for justice (and even if Lucas did read my review would he really give a crap?). On the other hand if I say something that sounds even slightly like a less than gold star about an independent film than I am destroying some poor struggling sods dream and I guarantee he or she will have read it.
Fortunately I don’t need to don the kid gloves for this one. While not exactly the deepest or most complex story around, it is nigh flawless in it’s execution and induces exactly the warm feelings it intended. The story is not terribly complex but it is definitely different, and the cast is extremely talented and delivers some great performances.
It is the story of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and the retired individuals who opt to live there. This is another story that devolves into a half dozen sub plots interweaved together. However, unlike other movies that do it badly (cough cough New Years Eve cough cough) the stories here are interesting, complex, and resound well with the talents of the individual actors. They also interact together, with each actor playing a part in the resolution of another’s sub plot.
Anyway, there is the retired high court judge who is coming out of the closet (Tom Wilkinson-Batman Begins, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Shakespeare in Love), the recently widowed woman who was left destitute by her husbands debts (Judi Dench-Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, As Time Goes By), the retired couple who are left broke when their daughters start up doesn’t take off (Bill Nighy-Hot Fuzz, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 1, Pirate of the Caribbean Dead Man’s Chest and Penelope Wilton-Shaun of the Dead, Match Point, Pride & Prejudice), the cougar looking for a sugar daddy (Celia Imrie-Highlander, the Phantom Menace, Bridget Jones’s Diary), the old rogue looking for love (Ronald Pickup-Prince of Persia Sands of Time, the Mission, Lolita) and the racist old woman (Maggie Smith-Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, Hook, A Room With A View). They all arrive at the hotel only to discover it is not quite as clean and well kept as the advertisements implied. It is run by a young Indian named Sonny (Dev Patel-Slumdog Millionaire, the Last Airbender, Skins) who is desperate to make the hotel succeed to prove himself to his disapproving mother. He is also trying to get her approval to marry his super hot girlfriend (Tena Desae-Yeh Faasley, Sahi Dhandhe Galat Bandi).
The stories move and develop. The gay judge is looking for his lost Indian boyfriend. The destitute widow takes a job at the girlfriends telemarketing company. The couple are torn between the husbands new found love of India and the wife’s need to move back to England. The cougar is looking for a husband, and the old rogue for a hookup. The disapproving mother (Lillete Dubey-Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair, Kal Ho Naa Ho) threatens to pull the whole deal apart while the racist learns to love other cultures.
The stars. Acting was top notch, particularly Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. Two stars. The story was well done. Two stars. A nice insight into living in India, at least from the perspective of a retired white person. One star. A feel good movie that successfully makes you feel good. One star. Tena Desae was extremely easy on the eyes. One star. A PG-13 film that felt and worked as a PG-13 film. One star. Total: eight stars.
The black holes. Pacing at parts definitely dragged, and by the end of the film you start to feel the 124 minutes. One black hole. If I were a less kind person I could say that the endings all felt a little too pat, but I will pass on that. Other than that, taken in the context of what this film was supposed to be I can’t think of anything else. One black hole.
A grand total of seven stars. Should you see it? If you are my mother absolutely. If watching retired people find love and meaning in their life works for you then yes. However, if you find it difficult to connect with older actors and/or just want something resembling action or a bigger conflict than a couple fighting with each other than maybe pass. You have to want to see a feel good movie to enjoy this one. Bathroom break? Nothing really springs to mind. Maybe the part where the judge plays cricket with the local Indian boys. Not a whole lot happening there. Judi Dench wandering the city could probably be missed too if necessary.
Thanks for reading. I am having a blast here in Italy but if I find the time will try to get my review for Snow White and the Huntsman up. The one bad thing about this trip is I am missing Prometheus and will have to wait until I get back to review it. Follow me on Twitter @Nerdkungfu. If you have comments on this film or review feel free to leave them here. Off topic questions or suggestions can be emailed to me at [email protected]. Thanks again. Talk to you soon.
Dave
