Last Updated on April 5, 2016 by
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (For the elderly and the beautiful) is a heartwarming coming of age tale about 7 English retirees rediscovering themselves and reinventing their lives in an alien land they know zilch about, India, that is. They find the answers to their problems and miseries in an nation which is far from being perfect.
All the seven have 7 different problems to grapple with, such as Muriel dealing with India and ensuring her hip replacement is done by an ‘English doctor’. Evelyn (played superbly by Judi Dench) deals with the loss of her husband and tries to find a job in Indian call centre. Graham is in search of his gay lover (‘I am gay, more in theory than in practical”, he announces). Douglas and Jean try hard to give their marriage a last chance. Madge is hunting down a rich guy to hook up with, and all Grandfatherly Norman wants is free sex, everytime, everywhere.
Performances and the dialogues (the witty repartees between characters and the profound ones, both) are the strength of this film. The theatre and film veteran Judi Dench was the only superstar in the film and for a good reason. She rises above the script and lends the predictable film a credibility with her nuanced and understated performance. Norman (Ronald Pickup) plays the Casanova at 60 with aplomb. He visits sexologists, practices Kamasutra poses and finally hooks up. When asked “Aren’t you afraid of the perils of having sex at your age?” He retorts back smartly, “Well, if she dies, she dies!”
But my favourite is Muriel (‘lived’ by Maggie Smith), who is the most ‘SCARED’ of India (‘Indians roam in packs!’, she said) and hates all things Indian. After braving her first few days in India, she announces, “I am in hell!” And when offered an ‘Aaloo ka paratha’, she
The film threatens to be predictable and to reiterate the clichés associated with an India as perceived by westerners. But it works bigtime, despite a predictable denouement and
The movie gets philosophical in the end but still it doesn’t lose its vivre de joie and the light heartedness.It’s somewhat reminiscent of the film Eat Pray Love but with multiple characters. It will make you laugh and it will make your eyes well up. It will get you in touch with your human side. It makes you look at the vulnerability of human life sans being too serious. It’s the tugging at heart human stories told with great craftsmanship which works here. And the movie ends with all characters almost finding the answers to their dilemmas and inner demons. As Dev Patel says in the movie, “Everything will be alright in the end, and if it is not alright, it is not the end.”
Do see this feel good, slice of life film today. And yes, it’s worth a repeat watch.
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Wonderful post. Stay safe and Happy travels! 🙂
Thank you and wish the same to you 🙂
Good one… keep such posts coming
Thank you sir, many more to come 🙂