The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful has no more vacancies when two new guests arrive, Lavinia (Tamsin Greig) and Guy (Richard Gere).
Believing Guy has been sent to assess his hotel for a possible franchise, Sonny (Dev Patel) does his bumbling best to impress him.
As Sonny seeks to expand his enterprise to include the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, he must also prepare for his wedding to Sunaina (Tina Desai). The guests of the hotel, having grown accustomed to life in India, are now venturing out to tackle their own interests, including manager Mrs. Donnelly (Maggie Smith), reluctant monogamists Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle), tentative lovers Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) and Madge (Celia Imrie), who is courting two wealthy suitors.
We say, “It’s much like the first film, with a bigger glimpse into Indian culture.”
TAYLOR: I, like everyone else I think, very much enjoyed the first film and am happy to report that this sequel didn’t disappoint. The films are very similar, with all the same characters plus a few new faces added, some of them Indian.
I also enjoyed how this film showed off India and its people a bit more than the first. It made me want to travel there. It seems to be colourful place, full of friendly and happy people. But I suppose I’m a bit biased there, as I’ve always been interested in India. Also, it is, after all, a movie.
HOWE: I too enjoyed the movie, maybe not as much as the first one, but it still kept me entertained. It made me laugh numerous times, mostly by Smith’s character Mrs. Donnelly, who reminds me of an old dinner lady I had at primary school back in the ‘70s. With her sharp tongue and no nonsense attitude, Smith plays the role perfectly, as do the rest of the cast. The only letdown I found in the acting department was Gere. I don’t think he’s a good actor. He comes across a little wooden and standoffish.
TAYLOR: I saw the film with my wife Dawn, who can’t stand Gere, but she said she got used to him and didn’t mind him as an older man. To be honest, Gere didn’t have to do much more than stand around and look good. Dawn also correctly noted that there was quite a bit of excellent “face acting” by the two dames in the film, Dench and Smith. Obviously actresses of such a high calibre don’t require dialogue to let you know what they’re thinking and feeling. I enjoy being shown things in films, rather than being told things.
If there was any drawback it is that the film lacked the commentary about being at the end of one’s life, as all the elderly guests seem to have gotten busy living, rather than dying. This seems like a strange complaint, but it does make the film noticeably lighter than the first. I have a very strong sense that there will be a third film.
– Howe gives The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 4 broken mopeds out of 5.
– Taylor give 3.5 dance numbers out of 5.
– Brian Taylor and Peter Howe are film reviewers based in Vernon, B.C. Their column, Reel Reviews, runs in The Morning Star Friday and Sunday.
