The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

I saw the trailer of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (TBEMH) over 3 months back down under. I was actually quite certain that some moron somewhere in this country will find some of the things said offensive enough to file a Public Interest Litigation and ensure that the movie never sees the light of day in India. Something like the powers that be did with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Thankfully that didn’t happen unless of course there is something that was done behind the scenes that we are unaware of. I was not complaining either ways.

TBEMH traces the lives of 7 people who have one foot in the grave – each with a secret of their own who find themselves in India at the same time. Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) has just lost her husband who she was severely dependent upon. Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) leaves London on a whim of sorts – just like that in the middle of a speech from his colleague – he packs his bags and heads off to India. Douglas (Bill Nighy) and Jean (Penelope Wilton) Ainsley are a couple who are dealing with coming to an age where they cannot afford to buy more than very basic accommodation in an old age home.

Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) has come to a point where her hip bone has given way but she is some sort of a racist and doesn’t like to be touched by anything that’s not white. Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) and Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) are 2 people who do not believe that age has anything to do with being sexually active. In the case of Cousins, he just wants to get laid. But Madge’s desires extend to finding a single man of royal blood.

Norman and Madge are actually the funniest characters in this geriatric Romantic Comedy from the table of John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, Captain Correlli’s Mandolin) who is known for spinning stories that touch your heart. Madden has once again stuck to his strength of fleshing out each character beautifully. Each of the 7 people are introduced in just under a minute right at the beginning before the actual credits start. The sequence is really well done.

Madden need not have worried about the acting department in this one (or previous ones) because he has picked up his cast to a perfection. To me the outstanding performance came from Maggie Smith who will definitely stake a claim to Uncle Oscar this year. Add to the performances some vintage British humour and dialogues that will stay with you for a really long time such as, “I am single by choice. Not just my choice” OR “When I want your opinion I will give it to you” or the more serious, “The only real failure is the failure to try. And the measure of success is how we cope with the disappointment that comes with trying”. Beautifully written words from Ol Parker. Adapted from the book Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach, this is one Brit RomCom you must add to your weekend watches. 7 on 10.

Trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi929996313/