Business is blossoming at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and
the next inevitable step is give it further room to grow. Sonny and Mrs
Donnelly have been to California to find investors for a second hotel and now
it is just a matter of time before an inspector is sent to look everything
over. Two new customers check in at the same time and Sonny is quick to
determine which needs the better treatment. Whilst Sonny is trying to impress,
Jean returns to India to ask Douglas for a divorce, Evelyn is asked to take on
a new job, Douglas desires to ask for her hand, Madge has trouble choosing
between two suitors, and Norman and Carol encounter their own little battle of
sexes.
It’s the truth universally acknowledged that the sequel is never as good
as the first film, and if it is it’s in rare cases. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel falls under the not-as-good
umbrella, but that’s not to say that the film, the story, the performances do
not all culminate in this vibrant and life-affirming film that is still a pleasure
to watch.
Like the idea for a second hotel as the first one fills up, the story
is a continuation of the motifs and the messages about life that were explored
in the first film. These ideas are given room to flourish and flower further in
this film, growing into what seems a never-ending breadcrumb trail of
beginnings. Just when in life does one stop finding new beginnings? This is the
underlying question and further questions, ideas, and discussions, sprout and
grow from it in the form of the many different stories of each of the residents
of the hotel. Whilst some feel that their tracks are leading to dead ends,
others discover new dirt roads to turn down and, if nothing else, this movie is
a really bright and vibrant message that whilst things do end, not everything has to. The message is lovely and you do
feel lighter and touched when the credits start to roll.
As is the threat with
having a film devoted to so many different characters and their separate
stories, there is always the risk of favouring some, neglecting others, and
teetering in the balance. Whilst the balance of screen time for all the
characters is pretty spot on, I felt that some stories were stronger than
others, some were more predictable, and some really took some time to get to their
feet. I felt that Richard Gere’s character, for example, was sort of dropped in
at first to provide humour as Sonny works off him, but then he suddenly changes
and a character purpose seems to appear. I don’t like how, for a while, it just
seemed as though he was dropped in there to see what could happen; like tasting
a foreign delicacy or attempting a science experiment.
At the end of the day
though, you still come away with the feelings that you got from the first movie
and that’s the most important thing: how the movie makes you feel when it is
finished.
Starring Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Danny Mahony, David Strathain, Judi
Dench, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Roland Pickup, Diana Hardcastle, Fiona
Mollison, Sabhrajyoti Barat, Tina Desai, Shazad Latif, Rajesh Tailang, Atul
Tiwari, Lillette Dubey, Tasmin Greig, Penelope Wilton, Claire Price, and
Richard Gere, The Second Best Exotic
Marigold Hotel is a vibrant and really lovely
movie filled with romance, drama, bravery, growth, and comedy. It stirred up in
me the same feelings as the first movie and I don’t think I can give it better
praise than that.
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