Review: 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' is a good feel-good film

Film: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Cast: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Tena Desae, Lillete Dubey
Director: John Madden
Rating:****

For some, old age is a stage at which point there is little scope of altering habits that by that time are steadfast. In a world that can be scarily uncaring, an opportunity to escape from the monotony is offered by the titular hotel situated in Rajasthan.

Lured by ads making lofty promises of a grand stay at an establishment with the sophistication of an English country manor (among other things), 7 aged English folk decide to take a chance on the home for the "elderly and beautiful".

Not all of them hold beautiful views about the ramshackle hotel or the country -- especially the openly racist housekeeper Muriel Donelly (Smith) and cold and agoraphobic Jean Ainslie (Wilton). Jean's husband Douglas (Nighy), however, has a more open mind. His receptiveness is matched by Evelyn Greenslade (Dench), who lost her husband of forty years and her house presumably due to his financial bungling. And while, Norman (Pickup) and Madge seek to stave of loneliness and land a rich partner respectively, jurist Graham Dashwood (Wilkinson) seems quite at home with the country, disappearing mysteriously while the others attempt to settle in.

Yes, one knows immediately that Rajasthan, a microcosm of the chaos and vibrancy of India, will serve as the eye-opening, spirit-awakening sphere where the obvious challenges without (infirmity, the alien environment) and within (prejudice, dependence, rigidness etc) will be surmounted.

However, the film — don't be fooled by the insipid trailer — doesn't disappoint thanks to the humour and the finely tempered performances by the ensemble cast.

Based on the 2004 novel These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach, Ol Parker's screenplay does justice to its numerous characters, the impressive cast and the colourful setting.

Run by a young man endowed with optimism in almost obscenely unjustified proportions, Sunny (Patel), the hotel is in an alarming state of disrepair. This is part of the films level-headed depiction of India with no effort has been made to sweep the squalor under the carpet in a bid to portray a spic-and-span spiritual haven.

Among the films' stand-out performances is Smith's with her brilliantly timed racist jibes that has one in splits. Patel is remarkable as the quixotic manager whose troubles include keeping business afloat amidst demands to shut down by his domineering mother (Dubey) and his rocky courtship of call-centre employee Sunaina (Desae). Dench, as always, is good in an understated way as a woman with newly found independence and stability.
 
Yes, as expected India facilitates the new lease on life for the Brits. And yes, the English in return, do teach the Indians a thing or two. But that doesn't take away anything from this well-made feel-good film.