“Sometimes it seems to me,” says Evelyn (Judi Dench) thoughtfully, “that the difference between what we want and what we fear is a width of an eyelash.”
There is a pregnant pause while the actors and the audience absorb her statement.
And then Muriel (Maggie Smith) turns to her and says, “I’m so sorry, were you talking to me?”
Moments like these — depth one second, humor the next — fill “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.” Following on the heels of the original Marigold movie (released 2011), this film rejoins the characters in the ramshackle hotel in Jaipur, India.
The film opens in San Diego, of all places, where Sonny (Dev Patel) and Muriel (Maggie Smith) are soliciting the partnership of a large U.S. chain to expand their Indian hotel, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful. Sonny has established himself as manager of a burgeoning business tending to British retirees in the “sunset” of life. However, he won’t be able to expand without overcoming a few personal hurdles — and impressing an undercover hotel inspector.
Meanwhile, the cast of characters who reside in the hotel make up the heart of the story. India, with all its grit and color and complexity, is the perfect backdrop to their lives, as they realize they are not the same people they once were five or 60 years ago, and they seek happiness and fulfillment for their new and changing selves.
“The old Brits return to India,” moviegoer Lucy Green commented, “and it’s almost like the colonists returning, but in a new way.” They come tentatively, unsure, and find a satisfying end to their lives and their stories through relationships and work at the at the hotel.
Perfect for the armchair traveler, the movie transports viewers into a different world and perhaps even into a different generation. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a warm and uplifting look at growing older while finding fresh joy in life.
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Starring: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Richard Gere, Dev Patel
Run time: 2 hours 2 minutes
Rated: PG
See upcoming showtimes for The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel here.
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Becca Garber
Staff Writer
eCoronado.com
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