The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel After a week of intensive viewing of serious documentary films I couldn’t wait to see this lighthearted story. I have been anticipating it for a long while. The previews were all so tempting. I would see any film with Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. They are both absolutely wonderful. What great entertainment! The film opens by introducing us to the main characters. They are all seniors living in England. They all face health or economic problems. A brochure promises them a great experience in retirement living at the Marigold Hotel in Jaipur India. Maggie Smith steals the show in my opinion. She is a crusty, biased, bigoted old lady. She is in a wheel chair and not willing to try anything new. She has agreed to go to India because it offered her cheap hip surgery. You can just imagine the culture shock she faced. Judi Dench needs to get away. Her husband has died and she has just discovered that he has left her nothing and she is going to have to sell her home. Another couple is in retirement and is shocked to see the pathetic apartment they are able to afford. One single man and another single woman hope to discover love. The hotel is not what has been promised. It is unkempt and dirty. Birds even fly out of a room. One room doesn’t even have a door. The interpersonal relation of the group makes for a good story. The characters all begin to discover themselves and to make the best of the opportunity. Throughout the film you are treated to the sights and sounds of India. It is wonderful. The traffic jams and the crowds are so real. There is romance and intrigue. There are complicated personal relationships. It is a bit ‘over the top’ at times. It didn’t matter. It was such fun. There is a lot of humor and each character in the story has a personal tale to tell. John Madden has done a great job as director. He is best known for Shakespeare In Love.