STARRING: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Diana Hardcastle, Tina Desai, Lillette Dubey, Tamsin Greig, Penelope Wilton, David Strathairn and Richard Gere.
PLOT: As Sonny (Patel) tries to expand the over stuffed Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the people who take residence there continue their goings on, as his engagement, draws to the inevitable marriage.
The least likely film to get a sequel ever, spawns the feel good film for Mother's Day. As the cream of British acting (and Richard Gere) show up for their own little romantic subplot. What it amounts to is Slumdog Millionaire meets Love, Actually. How wonderful then that what could have been a cash in clusterfuck and just more British lovies making sex jokes is actually a joyous celebration of life, love, and all the unfortunate moment in-between.
Front of the pack is Dev Patel playing the overly optimistic Sonny, who juggles trying to expand his hotel into a chain, wooing a hotel inspector and not getting jealous over his fiance, Sunaina. His blind optimism mixed with melancholic stubbornness makes Patel an absolute joy to watch, from his work on Skins through to his star making role as a certain millionaire slumdog, Patel has proven himself to be worth even penny. His scenes are always a joy, and he makes for an engaging romantic lead, calling to mind the early work of a Hugh Grant-type.
Maggie Smith is also utterly enjoyable as Muriel Donnelly, the grisly co-manager of the hotel. Playing a more friendly version of her character in the first film, she is none the less charming as the more grumpy of the oldies. Knowing the route these films takes, it often leads to a revelation of some profound sentimentality, it might then be to Smith's credit that it never feels forced or irksome.
While Ronald Pickup's Norman Cousins, and Diana Hardcastle's Carol Parr are a joy as the sexually active couple who both have their own little doubts about their relationship, and Celia Imrie's Madge Hardcastle is torn between two lovers - yet if you can't see the inevitable end, then you're not trying hard enough.
The film's biggest issue comes from the first film's biggest issue, the ongoing saga of Evelyn Greenslade and Douglas Ainslie as played by Judi Dench and Bill Nighy is somewhat dull, though the idea of turning the young romcom tropes on their head and playing them to older people is enjoyable to watch, Nighy and Dench are lumbered with will they won't they boredom. Made all the worse by the re-introduction of the brilliant Penelope Wilton's Jean Ainslie who serves as the antagonist of the film. If this subplot seems tired, then their scenes may grate but there is such joy in seeing three aging performers do something that would normally be the remit of unappealing young sex studs.
While all these cogs turn, and the forced plot about a hotel inspector is both obvious and inevitable, the most appealing rom com of the year plays out without anyone realising in the form of Richard Gere's Guy Chambers and Lillette Dubey's Mrs Kapoor. While Gere has always been effortlessly charming, and in this film he is no different Dubey's brilliant performance brings personality to the first film's overbearing mother. Gere's chasing of her without ever coming across as creepy or predatory, is the film's heart and goes hand-in-hand with Patel and Dusai's.
Small roles from Tamsin Grieg and David Strathairn do seem like throwing more famous people into roles, they class up the fun, and while the ending of the film calls out for a third, this film works brilliantly as it's own story, as well as a romcom sequel that is both romantic as it is funny. If this is to be chapter two of three chapters, and The (Third/Final) Best Exotic Marigold Hotel will be hitting cinemas in two or three years, then it'll be a ride I'd happily take again. The gentle pace, and lovely score by Thomas Newman never play India as the den of thieves that Slumdog did, instead paints it as a hot, different haven, where people who want a simpler life will thrive.
While not a perfect film, an interesting and enjoyable romcom comes from this mishmash of ideas. Go for the actors having fun, stay for the romcom of the year.
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