While I undoubtedly respect the
veteran ensemble cast that includes Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Dame Judi Dench,
and Dame Maggie Smith, the biggest selling-point, for me, of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, was the
exotic setting. Focusing on the
emotional struggles of a group of British retirees would present an interesting
enough character study, but placing them in a foreign environment adds an even
stronger hook. And, speaking from
personal experience, there are few places on the planet that can provide as
deep a culture shock as India. Having
traveled to Jaipur, India (the setting of the film), a little over a year ago, my
memories of the culture are still very vivid, so I was most curious to see if
director John Madden and Fox Searchlight could provide a faithful translation
of the country to mass audiences. Based
on the trailers alone, it looked like the dissonance between expectation and
reality for the elderly characters would provide plenty of humor, and early
critical reviews were very positive for this creative and unconventional
comedy-drama.
Overall
Recommendation: Medium
Though the film doesn’t take any
definitive risks in the name of ground-breaking storytelling, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel remains a
sweet and heartfelt character study brought to life by a talented veteran
cast. The direction and cinematography
do an excellent job of capturing the foreign essence and simple beauty of the
setting, and it is the character’s reactions and adaptations to that setting
that provides the bulk of the humor.
Each big name makes the most of their screen time, but the standout is
undoubtedly Maggie Smith, whose transformation from bigoted and bitter to
compassionate and resolute is engrossing and executed with flawless
talent. That being said, the fact remains
that there is no gripping central conflict to keep the story moving forward; so
unless you find yourself truly invested in the development and individual storylines
of the characters, things can get a little boring, especially in relation to an
over two hour running time. So, despite
the fact that there are no overt shortcomings; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel still lacks the mass-appeal to be
labeled as an absolute must-see.
