The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Reviews

Since I kept hearing some pretty good things about this flick, I was quite eager to check it out. Well, eventually, I wasn’t disappointed and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Honestly, it was nothing really amazing but it was still nonetheless a really refreshing comedy served by a great cast  (Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and many others). Not long ago, I actually watched ‘Amour’, one of the best dramas I have seen lately, and I couldn't help thinking that, even though the senior population is growing exponentially in the Western countries, there are only a few movies focusing on them so it was a real joy to see such a delightful comedy about this forgotten section of our population. The concept was also pretty intriguing. Indeed, instead of spending the end of your life in a dreary retirement home in England, France or in the Netherlands, why shouldn’t we go to a fancy hotel in India with the same amount of money and much more stimulation? With this in mind, I didn’t care much about the struggle of Dev Patel to manage to run the hotel, it was a rather tedious sub-plot and it would have worked better if it would have been a decent but healthy establishment and therefore, focusing the plot on those elderly British citizens. Still, to conclude, even though it was not really a masterpiece, it remains a really nice comedy and it is definitely worth a look.

"If I can't pronounce it, I don't want to eat it."

I'm infamous for enjoying the most barbaric kinds of humour. I like gross out comedy, sex comedy, and even racial comedy. Thus, when a 'smart' comedy comes out, I usually never have any interest in seeing them. There are times when I do actually enjoy a comedy with a witty and subtle script - Up in the Air is an excellent example. The most recent addition to this list is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (one hell of a title). I never had any real interest in seeing this even though I liked the trailer. When I was dragged along to see it with a cousin, I wasn't reluctant, and I actually really enjoyed this film. I can't say this is the funniest film I've seen all year, but it does provide many laughs throughout the running time, and it's rich with character and gorgeous imagery. Best yet, there's nothing too depressing about it. This is, at the heart of it, an extremely fun and sweet feel-good movie.



The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in India is the new home for a group of old British retirees who can't afford to stay in Britain anymore. They are stubborn prejudiced Muriel (Maggie Smith), who needs a hip replacement, mismatched married couple Douglas (Bill Nighy) and Jean (Penelope Wilton), recent widow Evelyn (Judi Dench), Graham (Tom Wilkinson), who grew up in India and has past issues to deal with, good-time girl Madge (Celia Imrie) who’s looking for a rich husband, and Norman (Ronald Pickup), an inveterate ladies’ man who’s actually just looking for romance. Each responds to this strange, colourful new world in different ways. The young owner of the hotel, Sonny (Dev Patel), is defying his family in keeping on with this inherited white elephant and in wanting to marry the girl he loves.



Written by Ol Parker, the film is an adaptation of Deborah Moggarch's novel, and it goes in directions you'd pretty much expect it to. Just from the trailer, you can tell already that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a predictable film. That being said, it doesn't damage the film in a horrific way. It does take away the element of surprise, but the film still packs in a lot of hilarious lines and characters. Parker's script is rich with interesting characters, with the more well-known stars getting the most attention. Graham, Evelyn, Douglas, and Muriel all have terrific arcs - they're developed extremely well. It's a shame that the rest of the characters don't get much of a look into at all. Still, there's enough romance and laughter between the characters to keep the film moving at fun and brisk pace. There's also a lot of emotion thrown in for good measure - there are sad moments in the film, and they do manage to tug at the heart-strings.

Parker's dialogue is witty throughout, and the film rarely depends on physical gags and raunch to generate laughter like most comedies we see nowadays. This is simply dialogue and character driven. Muriel in particular will guarantee applause from the audience. Although she is a caricature, her racism and fussy attitude is actually hilarious. Yes, she may be a tad bit obnoxious during the start of the film - but that's the point. Her transformation in the film is beautiful as she spends more time with another culture. Also really funny is the character of Norman, although his best jokes are featured in the trailer. There is a touch of romance in the film, particularly with Sonny and his girlfriend, and this is slightly weak as it detracts from most of the film. The same goes with the budding relationship between Evelyn and Douglas. All this romance just feels forced.



The cast is the main selling point of the movie. Director John Madden has gathered a group of veteran British performers to play the leads in the film, and they're all in top form. Judi Dench plays her role beautifully, creating a nuanced and likeable character. It's nice to see Bill Nighy playing a normal human being for once, and he's actually really fine. Tom Wilkinson doesn't get the most screen-time as one would imagine, but he's definitely one of wiser characters. There's a gentle screen presence he has that works well in this. Maggie Smith really shines in this as well. Dropping the whole persona of Professor McGonagall, Smith dives into her racist character with ease, and adds a nice adorable touch to her performance. Last but not least, Dev Patel is a lot of fun as Sonny. Surprisingly, we haven't seen a lot of him after his performance in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire (maybe it was The Last Airbender), but he definitely brought real enjoyment to his character, and it definitely shows he has a bright future in comedy.

Madden's direction is great, and although he doesn't take the film in unexpected places, he works well in his comfort zone. The film looks absolutely beautiful, thanks to the handsome photography by Ben Davis. Davis captures the colour and vibrancy of India gorgeously - this depicts the country in a truly positive manner. Also working for me was the score by Thomas Newman, which had a nice festive feel to it. All these technical elements give The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel an aspect of Indian culture - the combination of the cinematography and sound gives the audience a real look into this country.



Overall, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a delicate and sweet comedy that should be enjoyed by all ages. No matter what kind of comedy you're into, the film will generate laughter from you, and it leaves you with a good feeling. Yes, it's extremely predictable, and there's nothing groundbreaking or new here, but if you just want a film that's enjoyable and immensely satisfying, this should be witnessed by you.

"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end."

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is an utter delight. Here is a satisfying comedy unafraid to have a heart and a brain, and it has no interest in toilet humour or cheap gags. It's one for the mature crowd, as it earns lots of belly-laughs through genuine wit and doesn't shy away from the inherent dramatic elements of its story. Based on Deborah Moggach's novel These Foolish Things, director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) has given this picture a warm tea-and-biscuits type of charm, rendering it suitable for older, more cynical moviegoers probably disenchanted with today's filmic landscape. Add to this an all-star British cast including the likes of Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a film you cannot miss. Anyone of any age will have fun with it.

The story starts in England, where a varied bunch of retirees begin looking to make their autumnal years easier on the wallet. There's the recently-widowed Evelyn (Dench) who's awash with debts; Muriel (Smith), who requires a hip replacement; Graham (Wilkinson) who's looking to revisit his past and confront old demons; couple Douglas (Nighy) and Jean (Wilton) whose marriage is under strain; and singletons Norman (Pickup) and Madge (Imrie) in search of adventure and love. They all come together in India, where they stay at the seemingly enticing Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Unfortunately, the hotel has fallen into disrepair. The hotel's well-intentioned owner Sonny (Patel) dreams of providing a wonderful resort for retired folks, but is facing financial difficulties. Added to this, Sonny's disapproving mother (Dubey) lingers around, doubting Sonny's capacity to run the hotel and wanting him to enter an arranged marriage.

Similar the rundown hotel of its title, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a feature which slowly but surely grows on you. Blessed with a smart script by Ol Parker, it's charming, emotional, witty and engaging, not to mention it possesses unexpected depth and richness. All of the main players are strongly-written and three-dimensional, and the film thoughtfully reflects upon what it means to grow old, how we view ourselves in old age, and how we value the elderly. While old folks are often seen as useless in Western society, the main players here all have something to give, and they're only respected and given the chance to effectively contribute when they move to a different culture. And to Ol Parker's credit, a number of character arcs defy our predictions. The only real problem with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is that it's less interesting while dealing with Sonny's dilemmas. It's laudable for this minor character to be given some dimension, but his romantic subplot is too familiar and contrived, betraying the intelligence otherwise exhibited as the narrative plays out.

It's a daunting task to juggle a large ensemble of characters with their own individual stories, but, to the credit of Madden and Parker, the film for the most part succeeds in this respect. It's great fun to watch the different responses of each guest; Graham and Douglas have an extraordinary time, while Muriel constantly moans and Jean hates everything she sees (loudly!). Admittedly, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel does drag at times, but technical contributions are otherwise top-notch. India is a country rich with culture and heritage, and Madden's crew have wonderfully captured these characteristics. Thanks to Ben Davis' luscious cinematography, you can almost feel India's humidity on the noisy, crowded streets amid the stalls, markets and traffic jams. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel lets us bask in the country's flavours, and experience the exquisite beauty of India when riding on a tuc tuc or rickshaw while your ears are filled with a range of sounds.

Easily the biggest strength of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the cast, which features some of the finest elderly actors that Britain has to offer. Watching this gathering of immense talent is an utter pleasure, and all of them are perfect in their respective roles. The standouts are Judi Dench and Bill Nighy, the former of which is especially adept at dealing with the story's dramatic and emotional elements. Maggie Smith, meanwhile, is as brilliant as ever in the role of Muriel, and she had a field day with one-liners. And then there's the always-reliable Tom Wilkinson, who displays immense gravitas as Graham. Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel also appears here, delivering an enthusiastically over-the-top performance as hotel manager Sonny. Rounding out the cast is Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup and Penelope Wilton, who are equally as terrific as their higher profile co-stars.

It's definitely worth checking into The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. This is a lovely movie, and it's a sublime showcase for its terrific cast which effectively mixes light-hearted laughs with scenes of pathos. If you have a good sense of humour and an open mind, you'll no doubt have an enjoyable time with this flick. It will leave you with a big smile on your face and a warm heart... Who can complain about that?

8.5/10