The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), directed by John Madden, 4
stars
This film, based on the novel, “These
Foolish Things” by Deborah Moggach, tells the story of an odd assortment of
elderly, underloved, British retirees who all serendipitously stumble upon the
same targeted ad for a resort known as the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. This Indian inn purportedly caters to the
special needs of the elderly, and the individuals comprising this singular
group of social outliers certainly fill the bill. But this seasoned band of seniors also ventures to India for all sorts of
reasons unrelated to the hotel, and these range from sex to surgery. In the final analysis, though, like Humphrey Bogart's Rick who came to Casablanca
for the waters, this group was similarly misinformed. It turns out that the resort is
for all intents and purposes a ruin. Despite its poor condition, however, it is being valiantly and, for all intents and purposes,
single-handedly run by Sonny (Dev Patel from "Slumdog Millionaire"),
an incredibly upbeat and persuasive young man who manages the hotel badly and its
finances even worse. He is the youngest
of three sons, and his mother, the Indian equivalent of a helicopter mom, is dead
set against his chosen profession, preferring instead that he follow in the
footsteps of his two elder brothers, both of whom are wildly successful at
their chosen professions. Unlike them, Sonny has no money, and he won't
make anything from elderly patrons whose first impulse upon seeing the hotel is
to flee. That they decide to stay is a testament to his incomprehensibly unshakable optimism which allows him to put a positive spin on everything.
Even if the plot
is somewhat predictable, the dialog is snappy, and the editing is wonderfully brisk
(if your mind wanders even for an instant, you risk missing something). The acting is spot on, but how could it not
be with a best of breed ensemble consisting of the likes of Judi Dench, Tom
Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith.
And I must not omit the critical role played another character that, once introduced, is
on an-screen presence from that point forward: the landscape of India. Despite the pervasive poverty that seems to
encircle the hotel, the people who walk the streets and inhabit the nearby buildings
provide a vibrant and colorful cultural backdrop, ultimately enlivening and, to
some degree, rejuvenating those elderly visitors who allow themselves to be touched
by it all. As Sonny says to alleviate any
concerns expressed by his guests: “everything will be alright in the end, and
if it isn't alright, it isn't the end.” Well,
the film is a lot better than just alright, and I for one didn’t want to see it end.
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