The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Despite reading a smattering of complimentary reviews, I have to admit in all shallowness that even considering a somewhat impressive cast, I was put off by the title of this movie. Silly, I know, and I finally overcame that ridiculous prejudice.

Best follows the story of a number of English retirees, most of whom are down on their luck either spiritually or financially, and decide to depart their homeland for the siren call of a retirement community in India (having helped my father find a retirement home, I can attest that older folks rarely get to spend their time where they’d truly like to, unless they are rich). When they arrive, however, they find it a dilapidated old shell, run by the enthusiastic but essentially hapless Sonny (Dev Patel, in a lively performance). The older folks all react differently to the hotel and to India in general, neither of which is what they expected. Sheltered housewife Evelyn (Judi Dench) stumbles her way into a job at a call center; mild Douglas (Bill Nighy) discovers that time away from his shrewish wife (Penelope Wilton), who hates everything about India, is rejuvenating; Muriel (Maggie Smith), who’s come to India for a less-expensive hip operation, never leaves the hotel; and retired judge Graham (Tom Wilkinson) spends his days in pursuit of an old lover he left years ago.

Naturally there’s all the clucking and English disdain you’d expect as the oldsters encounter India at the onset and find it brash, colorful, noisy, and above all alive. And it’s gratifying that they don’t all experience a Coccoon-like rebirth, although some of them do. For some the road here leads to happier lives, but for others the India trip is an ending of sorts. In any event they all have personal demons that they have to wrestle with, and what’s engaging is not that they do it, but the varied paths they choose to try – or in some cases, not to try – to find some sort of peace.

At this point it’s redundant to say something insipid like “Judi Dench was remarkable.” Of course she was; a low-key, subtle performance that’s both warm and fragile by turns, she’s the key attraction to the picture. Wilkinson gets some of the best scenes (and some of the best plotlines), and is also very good. They all are – from Maggie Smith’s shrewish guardedness to Nighy’s slightly daffy good nature, each actor brings a subtle power to the role that makes them all interesting to watch. Even Dev Patel, who’s a little outside his league with this gang, manages an excellent turn.

The movie sort of creeps up on you slowly, but the ending is quite powerful, emotionally moving. So often in these sorts of films there’s a grandiose set piece at the end where everyone reaffirms life or something equally manipulative so you can leave the theater with a smile on your face, and make no mistake, the ending here is largely a happy one. But the small, subtle ways in which life is approached, and celebrated – or mourned – imbue the film with an emotional resonance at the end that’s immensely satisfying. Come for the excellent cast, stay for the fine performances, but by all means do yourself a favor and see this film.

April 22, 2013