The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: anybody else seen it? (open spoilers after OP)

I saw it today and thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a great “little” movie with no big special effects, no explosions, etc., but a lot of great talent by 60+ English actors. Also features Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) and a couple of faces familiar to those who know Indian actors.

I won’t go into a long review unless others have seen it. I will say that nobody plays Judi Dench better than Judi Dench does, and it was nice seeing Maggie Smith playing a very different character from Violet (Downton Abbey) and-or McGonagall and or other dowager/asexual upper crust English woman that she’s so often put into. And, as with most films set/filmed in India, I always leave thinking “that is such a beautiful country” AND “that looks like such a hellhole”; I’d love to visit just to see which one I’d lean towards if I saw it in person.

Anyway, the trailer for those who haven’t seen it (or those who have):

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (for the Elderly and Beautiful)

And open spoilers after the O.P. (if anybody responds).

Saw it today; thought it was great. A bit hamfisted at times, but also an engaging story, decent acting, and terrific setting.

Pretty much agree on all points.

Minor complaints:

They should either have found a slightly younger actress to play Judi Dench’s role OR adjusted the character’s age. Judi Dench is in her late 70s and looks like she’s in her '70s, but most of the references to her life make it clear the character, Evelyn, is in her early 60s (e.g. she was married for 40 years, married right out of school, and never worked- a woman in her 70s would have had to have provided for herself somehow for that decade). Also, her love interest, Bill Nighy, is in his early 60s (the actor) and the age difference is noticeable.

The characters of Norman and Mrs. Hardcastle were circling in a bit on Golden Girls charicatures a couple of times.

I’m not sure if Dev Patel’s character was a stereotype or not, but he was a bit annoying in the “very very excellent sort of way”.

Though all totalled, I really enjoyed it and it made me laugh a lot.

And though I’m nowhere near Graham’s age, how well I can relate to his line “I’m gay. Well, in theory more than in practice these days.” His was by far the most intriguing plotline and I’d love to have known more about his ex-lover’s life for the past 40+ years.

I saw three movies this weekend:Marigold Hotel, Avengers, and MIB III. This was by far my favorite.

I agree about Judi Dench; she looked too old for Bill Nighy, although that could have been the point. She was more adventurous than his young (compared to Judi) wife. I wasn’t quite sure what would happen with the single dark-haired woman who tipped the maitre’d to be seated next to Norman. I am guessing she just adjusted and learned to live there.

Norman’s story was the most unexpected, and the most moving. And I was tricked by Maggie Smith’s character, too, thinking of her as only a cast-off governess.

It was hard not to get out of the movie and think about medical care and air-conditioning, but that’s my rapidly advancing age I guess. And it was nice to see a large city with no McDonald’s at all!

It was thoroughly enjoyable.

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I wanted to comment on this. One of Maggie Smith’s first big roles was the oversexed teacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

Saw it a few months ago when it opened in the UK. Agree with all the comments - it’s not the perfect film but it is immensely enjoyable. The whole audience came out with smiles on their faces :smiley:

I hadn’t thought about the Judi Dench/Bill Nighy age difference - don’t tend to think of her age in any of her roles. I’ve not heard complaints of her being to old to be the head of the Secret Service!

I saw it a few weeks ago and liked it a lot. Very enjoyable.

A nitpick with your nitpick, Nighy was NOT Dench’s “love interest” until the very, very end, and even then we don’t know if they became a couple. Nighy was a devoted family man, faithful and true to his wife. His wife let him go back, and he and Dench were then free to explore their friendship, which may or may not have led to anything more serious. They were obviously drawn to each other because of their mutual love of the country and sense of adventure, but it was much too early in their relationship to know if it would for sure turn romantic. I’d like to think so, but we don’t know and I appreciated that. People fall into each other’s arms far too quickly in movies nowadays and I was happy that for once a friendship was explored first.

Second, what’s with the ageism? So what if Dench’s character was 20 (or whatever) years older than Nighy? Older men get with younger women all the time, all of the time, in movies. Why feel the need to condemn it when the opposite happens?

Lovely little film.

Loved it. Especially the background character (the handyman?) who was ignored throughout all the stories, only to provide the pivotal piece of advice to “mother”. It was a nice compliment to the upfront story of the untouchable cleaner.

Especially all of it, really.

Like MarcusF said, everyone came out of the theater smiling.

This is my reaction also. I felt the film was better than it needed to be. It’s a simple story but the actors and direction elevated it. But at the same time I agree with the weaknesses that have been mentioned here. I think because some elements were so good, the disappointments were more striking.

Random thoughts:
[ul]
[li]For me the quote, “everything will be alright in the end, if it is not alright, it is not the end”, is an echo of the line in John Madden’s (the director) Shakespeare in Love which is repeated often about how things work out in the end “I don’t know. It’s a mystery.”[/li][li]Dev Patel’s character accent was a bit too broad for my tastes.[/li][li]Maggie Smith’s transition from bigoted crank to sweetie-pie was not believable.[/li][li]They missed an opportunity with the relationship of Maggie Smith and the untouchable girl. After Maggie’s big speech the girl was never seen again. They could have pulled her in at the end working the desk with Maggie to wrap that relationship up.[/li][li]I liked how they handled Tom Wilkinson’s character being gay. He just was and they didn’t do a big mysterious reveal. It just came up eventually.[/li][li]Really enjoyed Bill Nighy, he’s a treasure.[/li][/ul]

I really, really wanted to see this. Looked up movie times on Saturday, planned to go on Sunday. Sunday came and the movie was gone. It played here two days. Two days. I am so pissed.

I first became aware of him in Love, Actually and I don’t know how I missed him before that! Anyway, whenever I see him onscreen, it’s his Love Actually character I first think of, and I always smile.

Loved it! Yes, it was a bit soap-operaish and plot-holey in places, and the treatment of India and the Indians was at times simultaneously a bit patronizing and a bit propagandizing.

But all of it was very well done. I’ve lived in Jaipur for several months (not in a retirement hotel so far, though), and it really looked right.

Loved the meld of Bollywood romance with more typical offbeat romantic comedy/ensemble flick. In particular, I loved the use of the quote from the Bollywood blockbuster Om Shanti Om, “Jahan pe end mein sab kuch theek ho jaata hai… Lekin agar end mein sab kuch theek na ho to woh The End nahi hai…” “Everything comes out all right in the end, but if in the end everything is not all right then it is not the end!”

Judi Dench’s character didn’t seem miscast to me: her skin didn’t look 60s but the rest of her did. (And I could perfectly well believe that she might have lived with her parent(s) for several years after college and just moved from one sheltered overpossessive home life to another.)

Oh, it is both. So, so, so, SO both. It would be irresponsible and selfish for somebody from the developed world ever to get totally adjusted and indifferent to how bad things can be in India, but it would be even worse to let that stop you from appreciating and loving all the wonderful things about it. Lean both ways at once, vigorously. Just go.

There was a scene in which Sonny and Sunaina are meeting in a bath that looks like it was designed by M.C. Escher- lots of steps and platforms. It was starkly beautiful. Does anybody know where or what this place is?

Penelope Wilton has a very long career and I love her on Downton Abbey, but to me she is first and foremost and e’er will be PM Harriet Jones on Doctor Who, even though she was only in a few episodes. (I think the fact that I actually agreed with her over the Doctor may have something to do with it.)

Chand Baori. I saw this astonishing place for the first time in one of my all-time favorite films, Tarsem’s The Fall. I was thrilled to see it again in this movie.

Thanks. That place is awesome.

hijack

You’re welcome. If you want to see lots of amazing locations in India (and elsewhere) watch The Fall. I adore the movie beyond all reason so I’m biased, but even if you didn’t like the movie itself you’ll love the visuals. There are pictures here that show some of the various locations. Scroll and drool. Chand Baori is the last and best one. Here’s the trailer. Chand Baori is shown at about 1:47. For as colorful as the film is (especially during the storytelling parts, when the main character is spinning a wild yarn for the little girl), the opening titles are starkly beautiful in slow-motion black and white set against Beethoven.

Thanks. It’s available on Netflix streaming- I’ll check it out.

Saw this movie today, and had pretty much the same reaction as most people here (and, by the way, as most of the critics): great performances, charming situations, nice dialog, fascinating setting, and a predictable and sometimes rather cliched and unbelievable plot.

It was pretty much exactly what i expected, and i had a great time.

BTW, before the movie they played a trailer for The Intouchables, which i will now be seeing at the first opportunity.

Apparently, playing “Pimp my Tuk Tuk” is a fairly common past time. Googling for pics brings infinite variety in the motorized little beasties.

Has anybody ridden in one? I’d love to, but I’m afraid that halfway through I’d remember "this isn’t Disney, there really aren’t all kinds of engineers working to make sure this thing is safe and the oncoming traffic is real, not digital"and I’d be screaming and fetal by the time it ended and thus might overpay.