First Posted: 3/18/2015
The Story
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is full,” says entrepreneur Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel). “No one is checking out, so we are looking at another property.” He wants American investor Ty Burley (David Strathairn) to advance capital Sonny will use to buy the run-down Supreme Quality Hotel. That’s the set-up for this entertaining sequel.
Will Sonny’s expansionist plans succeed? Do Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) and Douglas Ainslie (Bill Nighy) get together? Can Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) choose between two suitors? For answers, see “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”
The Actors
The principal pleasure of “TSBEMH” is its cast, a British who’s who of skillful acting. Maggie Smith as quick-witted, acerbic Muriel Donnelly is a treat to watch — and hear. “How was America?” someone asks when Muriel returns from San Diego. “Made death more tempting,” she says. “I don’t do advice,” she says later. “I do opinion.” Dev Patel is exuberant hotel entrepreneur Sonny Kapoor, who speaks only in superlatives: “Now,” he says to his guests, “I will bring food guaranteed to tickle your most talented taste buds.” Judi Dench/Bill Nighy (as Evelyn Greenslade and Douglas Ainslie) and Diana Hardcastle/Ronald Pickup (as Carol Parr and Norman Cousins) are charming couples finding their way to sometimes tricky relationships. “We’re not ‘together,’” says Dench, “well, we’re not ‘not together’ either.” Celia Imrie’s Madge Hardcastle dithers between two attractive, wealthy suitors.
Others in the large cast include Richard Gere as mysterious American Guy Chambers, Lillete Dubey as Mrs. Kapoor, Tamsin Grieg as Lavinia Beach, Tina Desai as Sunaina, and Penelope Wilton as unfortunate Jean Ainslie.
Other Comments
“The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is a lovely, funny and joyful adult entertainment that, from time to time, is also close to soapy and sappy — but not too close. Enjoy its likeable characters, Ol Parker’s smart screenplay and John Madden’s enthusiastic direction. All the actors have good lines to deliver crisply as, for example, Bill Nighy’s, “There’s just so much bloody potential! That’s the thing about life!” Or Judi Dench’s, “The difference between what we want and what we fear is no bigger than an eyelash.” Or Maggie Smith’s exit line, “I’d like everyone to turn around one day and find I’m gone.” It’s a feel-good movie about growing old. “There’s no such thing as an ending,” says Smith, “just a place where you leave the story.”
Rated PG for language and some suggestive comments, “TSBEMH” runs 122 minutes, two lovely hours with friendly people. Stay for the Bollywood ending. Everybody dances.
Final Words
See Smith and Dench return
From “Marigold Hotel 1” —
Life is still adventurous,
And “Second Best,” lots of fun.
