The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel [DVD] [2011]

This is a gentle masterpiece, a truly superb film which sways back and forward between gentle comedy and proundly moving scenes of grief and loss with a delicacy rarely seen in film. A group of senior citizens, strangers to each other, but united by their uncertain future at home in England - through reasons financial, medical, spiritual and romantic - take the leap from buttoned-down Britain, and find themselvs plonked in the middle of Jaipur - hot, sweaty, chaotic, bewildering. To make matters worse, the hotel they've been seduced to turns out to be more of a fallen ruin that the palace of the brochures. So how do they cope with change? And how does this shockingly different world shape their futures? With an ensemble cast like this, you would expect something great - but the whole of this incredible group of actors more than adds up to the sum of its parts. The incomparable Judi Dench leads the cast, and also narrates brilliantly - "Is it our friend we are grieving for, whose life we knew so little? Or is it our own loss that we are mourning? Have we travelled far enough... that we can allow our tears to fall?" she asks in one breathtaking moment. I don't think there has even been such a mesmerising actress. Much the same for Penelope Wilton, marvellous in bringing real depth to what could have been an unsympathetic role - passive-aggressive and disappointed, socially aspirant and socially awkward, who blames her loving husband for her inadequate position in life. Nighy is also great as the husband, pushed to breaking point, but determined to put a good face on things, whatever the circumstances. The scene where he finally bites back is fabulous. Tom Wilkinson's character - for me at least - forms the emotional core of the film; if Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is about the notion of home, his is the character who embodies it most fully (I'll say no more than that). And he is phenomenal, in a beautifully-written role. Light relief comes from Ronnie Pickup and Celie Imre, both lovely as the randy singles seeking a last hurrah, as well as Dev Patel who is cute (if twee at times) as the perky manager whose optimism can almost prop the falling hotel up on its own. And Maggie Smith as a grouchy racist with a dicky hip is exactly what the (Indian) doctor ordered... It's beautiful, it's lovely - and I found, wonderfully reassuring - to have a story told about ageing, in which life continues to offer new beginnings and new challenges. And to know that even the most rigid soul can be shaped by new experiences and surroundings. I know that one day I, and so many of the people I love, will all face forks in the road like these - and I only hope that this gorgeous film will inspire more of us to open our hearts and follow the new, rather than sink into the quicksand of the well-trodden path.

I lent my DVD to friends who are a lot closer to the age of the characters - and cast - presumably the target audience than I am and they were distinctly underwhelmed. They actually asked 'what happened. What was it all about. What was its point?'. The answers to all these is 'not a lot'. It doesn't need to, It's not meant to, rather like (I guess) life in the autumn years where things get taken as they come. A love of cinema - and British cinema at that, goes a long way too - these actors are more than the cream of 'our' acting crop, they become 'our' relatives and eventually, through the unfolding of the film, our friends too. I love the stereotyped cliches here - because they are real - we all know of elderly relatives who would (or like to, if they dared!) say, as Dame Maggie Smith does "if I can't pronounce it, I won't eat it!" All the mild racist slants get suitable and just reprimands, which, if anything, are even more funny. Yet, it's not all comedy. This is a multi-faceted human drama that has many angles and a few surprises - never rushed (at 2 hours, many say it's too long and slow)it explores these avenues at the story's pace, not ours. The script is a gem, too - natural and well written. I won't cover the story itself as there are plenty who do. I would say that Best Exotic gets better the second time round. The critics seem to love it, but one asks whether that's because of who's in it. As an average but avid film-watcher I'd stay in the middle of that one - the cast seem to get on well with another (always helps!) and their acting is top-drawer. The inclusion of a now older lead actor in Danny Boyle's smash hit Slumdog Millionaire, as the young 'entrepeneur' trying to run the titular "Hotel" is both inspiring (he's engaging, witty and thoroughly enjoyable) and endearing, adding another touch of familiarity for us that 'know' our movies. Not for everyone, though the advertising will certainly try to tell you otherwise and if you've doubts, rent it. It's also been on Sky Movies for a while now, so if you get those, you can catch it there.

Diesen Film könnte man in das Genre "Tragikomödie" einordnen. Er ist wirklich ein Mix aus "Komödie" und "Drama" und doch bekommt man am Ende einen sehr guten "Feelgood"-Film serviert. Ich möchte jedoch gar nicht viel zum Inhalt des Films sagen, der wurde bereits von einem anderen Rezensent gut beschrieben. Der Film sticht für mich einfach wegen diesem positiven Gefühl hervor, welches er nach dem Sehen hinterlässt. Die bunten Bilder Indiens und der gute britische Humor sind weitere Aspekte, die dieses hervorheben. Weiterhin sind es die wirklich überragenden Darsteller, die ihre Figuren wahrlich leben und ihre Charakterveränderungen meisterhaft zur Geltung bringen. Vor allem Maggie Smith (bekannt als "Minerva McGonagall" aus der Harry Potter Reihe) und Judi Dench (bekannt aus den James-Bond Filmen) sind diejenigen, die einmal mehr zeigen, was Schauspielerkunst ist und dass sie ihre Oscars und vielen anderen Auszeichnungen zu Recht gewonnen haben. Das Sprichwort und tragendes Zitat des Films "Am Ende wird alles gut. Und wenn es noch nicht gut ist, dann ist es auch noch nicht das Ende" ist einmal mehr ein Beweis für das Positive, welches dieser Film ausstrahlt. Denn: Es ist nie zu spät für eine Veränderung! Die Blu-Ray bietet ein gutes, klares Bild und einen ansprechenden Ton, in dem die Dialoge und die Musik gut zur Geltung kommen. An Extras bekommt man ein wenig Behind-the-scenes Material zu sehen, man sollte jedoch nicht zu viel erwarten. Insgesamt aber wegen des tollen Inhalt des Films 5 Sterne!

After seeing the film the week of its release, I waited for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel to become available on DVD, and had to place an order for this true gem. My immediate reaction had been that this is a movie that I wanted to see over and again, if just for the pure pleasure in seeing people who can prove that it's good to be over sixty and be able to explore new horizons. For me, this is unquestionably one of the best movies of the year. Director John Madden's comedy about English retirees in India is a fascinating mix of both the familiar and the exotic. Ol Parker's screenplay is an adaptation from British author Deborah Moggach's book These Foolish Things (2004), and the casting is true perfection. It begins in the UK with brief sketches of seven British senior citizens, which sets the stage. We find Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) on the phone in her London flat, trying to communicate with a robotic operator at an Indian call center. She's a recent widow and is forced to sell her home after learning that her deceased husband had misused their life savings. It's Evelyn's blog entries, read aloud as narrative, that set the film's timeline. There's Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith), a xenophobic, crabby shrew, a never-married retired housekeeper bound to her wheelchair. She needs a hip replacement, and makes the trip because in India the surgery will be cheaper and doesn't require a month long wait. Douglas and Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) are an argumentative couple that sank their nest egg into their daughter's failing start-up company. Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) and Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) are two singles looking for a change from the older British dating scene. Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) is a retired judge with a guilty past who grew up in Jaipur, and is returning there for the first time since his youth. All seven are drawn to "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful" in Jaipur, India, based on an advertisement inspired more by the proprietors' hopes than on reality. The seven seniors travel to India, and as we find out, the hotel is anything but the Best or Exotic. It's here at the Marigold Hotel that they meet their host, Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel), a naïve, completely disorganized yet highly enthusiastic young man. Must admit that I had to stifle my laughter in the theater and again when viewing the DVD, watching Sonny trying to explain to his guests that the hotel has no working telephones and that some rooms are without doors, something that had been neglected ahead of time. He is the film's comic lead, and his often-hyperactive performance often borders on pure slapstick. His exclamation was perfect: "Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end." Sonny is under extreme pressure from his arrogant, domineering mother to give up the hotel as a lost cause and go along with an arranged marriage in Delhi. But complicating matters, Sonny is in love with Sunaina (Tena Desae), a call center worker. It gets interesting (and a bit ironic) when Evelyn takes a job in the call center instructing the workers how to speak to British people on the phone... classic Judi Dench. Watching Muriel's gradual transformation from a racist and crabby shrew to a caring and sensitive woman may have stretched credibility a bit. But considering the never-married housekeeper background of her character, it's something that few besides Maggie Smith could pull off so well. The overall plot is beautifully interwoven with the subplots, and viewers will be treated to some mild surprises. Without dropping any spoilers, watch for Douglas (Bill Nighy) having a blast exploring the nearby temples and such, yet that does have its results with his wife. The antics of Madge (Celia Imrie) and Norman (Ronald Pickup) in their quests for romance are hilarious in parts. Graham (Tom Wilkinson) offers a touching performance on many levels as he proceeds with his personal quest. If there was any disappointment at all for this viewer, it was the hope that somewhere and at some point, Bill Nighy would break out of playing his role as a browbeaten husband and burst into that mad aging rocker that he did to well in Love Actually , but we can't have everything. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is lively, irreverent and enjoyable when Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton are doing their crabby senior citizen performances. It produces some real laughs and offers truly brilliant performances from a highly experienced cast. Peppered with its pungent illustration of Jaipur's jam-packed streets and the rest of the scenery, it's a heartwarming, captivating and even inspiring leisurely paced comedy. Its optimism and claim that it's never too late to leave your comfort zone and explore new horizons makes it a joy for all except diehard gerontophobics. 9/24/2012

This is an absolutely wonderful, feel good movie, which has some of the UK's best known actors. It is not only a very amusing film but the setting is as exotic as the hotel. Well worth watching - I needed to have my own copy for when I want "Feel Good". Highly recommend.

Super story. Excellent cast. This is a movie for older people. Don't get it if you are twenty years old, you won't "get" it's meaning. This is the story of various people, older, looking to move in to a safe, different, happy kind of place to finish up their lives. There is a good mix of people with various complications. It's very good and certainly out of all the characters each of us can relate to one or more of them. They see an ad for a lovely hotel, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, in India offering cheap accommodation to older folks to go and spend their latter days there. What goes on is funny, poignant, adventurous, and exciting. Their lives are given a boost by the injection of a different culture, a culture they were all apprehensive about but that works for their good. It is a heart warming movie and I have watched it 3 times and enjoy it every time. Great actors. Highly recommended..

Ich habe mich lange vom Cover abschrecken lassen, da ich ein langatmiges Kammerspiel mit endlosen Dialogen befürchtete. Tatsächlich ist der Film aber ein toller Spaß mit überzeugenden Darstellern über Gemeinschaft und Einsamkeit, Zu- und Abneigung, Trauer und Freude, Zivilisation und Improvisation. Schon in der ersten (toll entwickelten) Szene wird klar, wie Menschen am Alltag (und zwar dem in unserer vermeintlich zivilisierten und fortschrittlichen Welt) verzweifeln können. Und dieses Schicksal ist allen Protagonisten gemeinsam, die dann "good old England" den Rücken kehren und sich am Flughafen kennenlernen, um die abenteuerliche Reise ins "Best Exotic Marigold Hotel anzutreten", wobei schon die Anreise mehr neue Erfahrungen bietet, als manchem lieb ist ("Was ist ein Tuk Tuk?"). Zu meinem Glück gibt es keine unnötigen Längen sondern über den ganzen Film sich abwechselnde Szenen der einzelnen persönlichen Geschichten, die mit trockenem britischen Humor glänzen. Die (anfangs) steifen Briten werden genial kontrastiert durch den Hotelier Sonny, der quirlig und unbeirrbar optimistisch an seiner Idee festhält, auch wenn er massive Rückschläge hinzunehmen hat. Bester Nebendarsteller ist aber Jaipur (Hauptstadt des indischen Bundesstaates Rajasthan mit 3 Millionen Einwohnern) mit tollen Farben, herrlichen Stimmungen, lebendigen Menschen, vielfältiger Architektur und immer gutem Wetter (was man immer im Vergleich zu Grau und Regen in England sehen sollte).