One of my
favourite movie genres is the travel destination movie where a character goes
to a foreign country and becomes rejuvenated again. Most of the time, the
characters leave their country because of a break up, student exchange or
winning a holiday. Sometimes, they are resistant to the cultural norms but
eventually they change and are happier.
The Best
Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful as it is known in some
parts of the world is a movie about seven elderly people moving to India to
spend their retirement years. It features an all star British Cast:
Judi Dench
plays Evelyn Greenslade, a recently widowed woman who learns her late husband has
left her penniless.
Jean
(Penelope Winton) and Douglas Ainsley
(Bill Nighy) are broke after investing in their daughters business that went
bust.
Murial
Donnelly (Maggie Smith) a racist former
housekeeper who goes to India to receive hip surgery.
Madge
Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) a gold digger looking for a new man.
Graham
Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) a retired High Court Judge who goes to India to make
amends for something he did there in the past.
Norman Cousins
(Ronald Pickup) who is a womanizer looking for his latest catch.
The hotel is
run by Sunny Kapoor (Dev Patel) who describes the hotel to be a palatial estate
from the British Colonial era with first class facilities. In reality, the
estate is more run down than luxurious thanks to his inept management. Sunny is
an enthusiastic dreamer who wants the hotel to succeed but does not know how to
do it. He is also hassled by his mother to sell the hotel and get married.
Sunny loves the Marigold Hotel and he has a love interest that his mother says
is too modern and has no proper family connections.
The retirees
become closer as they learn to adapt to India. Most of them embrace the new
culture while others are fearful and stubborn. All of them face the problems
that led them to India and become stronger people. I enjoyed seeing the growth
in the characters and how they adapted to India. I particularly liked the
friendships that formed between the characters.
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The movie is
a comedy so there are plenty of funny moments, mainly one liners relating to
their time in India. The acting is superb which is to be expected from such an
experienced cast. The Indian landscape was beautiful in the film the Indian people featured in the
movie were charming people.
When I watch
this film, I feel like going to India. I feel like being spontaneous and taking
my chances in all the places that I want to go to someday. There is actually a
sequel to this film which will be released later this year called The Second
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Never did see this one, but it looks like a fun way to spend a Saturday night in. Thanks for the great write up, Carlyn. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a certainly a fun movie, I hope you enjoy it some day.
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