Director: John Madden
Starring: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup
Certificate: 12
Running Time: 118 minutes
Extras: Behind The Story: Lights, Colours and Smiles
The term ‘one for Grandma’ is one that I can’t say has ever appealed to me, mainly because I’m not a Grandma; however there is quite the market for this kind of stuff and THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is very keen to capitalise on this. Under the assured, experienced eye of Director John Madden (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, THE DEBT) the ensemble cast including Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy are all playing staple characters of this kind of film so there seems to be little to draw us youngsters in, but with that cast it’s surely something a bit different, no?
Opening with a long montage that puts us up to speed with all the main protagonists and their respective troubles the film follows as the group leave England and their problems behind for India and its Hotel from the title managed by Dev Patel (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE). In the group we have the widower, Judi Dench who is at a loss with life and loneliness, the singletons looking for a good time, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup, a mysterious High Court Judge, Tom Wilkinson, the racist, Maggie Smith, and the couple with nothing left following lives as civil servants and a botched business investment, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton. To say this is a stellar cast is putting it mildly, but on paper it isn’t the most enticing prospect, especially as before you sit down to watch it you could hazard a reasonable guess as to how things will, or will not, play out, but it is with delight that I can allay these fears, yes the story has been done before in various guises but it’s never been so enjoyable; Dench is incredible as Evelyn Greenslade, Tom Wilkinson is fantastic as Graham Dashwood who is full of surprises and Bill Nighy steals the movie, just, from Ronald Pickup as Douglas Ainslie who is forever held back by his interminably moaning wife.
With India looking so glorious under Madden’s camera and the script adapted from Deborah Moggach’s ‘These Foolish Things’ by Ol Parker note perfect it is a real treat and is one of those films that makes you realise how much talent we have in Britain and how brilliantly funny and heartfelt films can be; I can genuinely say that I’ve not smiled, laughed and been touched by a film as much as THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL in a long time, yes there are issues, nothing of note, and when something is this enjoyable I just don’t care…I must be getting old.
Extras: A two and a half minute featurette which is nice enough but offers no insight whatsoever, but India looks nice.
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is available on Blu-ray and DVD now
