Film Review: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

 The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

starring Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, 

Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, , 

Diana Hardcastle, Richard Gere, and David Strathairn 

Watch the trailer and read my review below...


 Synopsis for The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2 is the expansionist dream of Sonny (Dev Patel), and  it’s making more claims on his time than he has available, considering his imminent marriage to the love of his life, Sunaina (Tena Desae). Sonny has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful, has only a single remaining vacancy – posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy (Richard Gere) and Lavinia (Tamsin Greig). Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) have now joined the Jaipur workforce, and are wondering where their regular dates for Chilla pancakes will lead, while Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) are negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two eligible and very wealthy suitors. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is newly installed co-manager of the hotel, Muriel (Maggie Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets. As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf them all, an unexpected way forward presents itself.

I recently saw The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel film with my Mom and sister. I've seen the first one with my mother (Read my full Film Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). We loved and enjoyed watching this movie. I thought it was as very good as the first one (probably even better) and even more funny (than the first) with more humorous one-liners. I remember a lot of memorable and random funny lines in this movie than the first one. Also, this second film, even if you didn't see the first one, works well by itself. While the title's very long like the first one, I like the clever addition and insertion of the word Second to the first movie's title of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, as opposed to the typical sequel addition of part 2. It made more sense with the additional Marigold hotel that Sonny was expanding with co-manager Muriel in this second film.

The great ensemble cast with Britain's finest and very talented vets such as familiar faces Judi Dench (as Evelyn), Maggie Smith (as Muriel), Penelope Wilton (as Jean), Bill Nighy (as Douglas), Celia Imrie (as Madge), Tena Desae (Sunaina), Lillete Dubey (Mrs. Kapoor), and Dev Patel (from Slumdog Millionaire...as Sonny) returned in this second equally wonderful film with new additions Richard Gere (as Guy), David Strathairm (Ty Burley), and Tamzin Greig (as Lavinia).

In this sequel to the first successful and surprise hit movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which was based on the novel These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach (screen writer of Joe Wright's first feature film, Pride & Prejudice), Sonny has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful, has only a single remaining vacancy – posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy (Richard Gere) and Lavinia (Tamsin Greig).

There were so many funny moments and humorous lines in this movie especially from Maggie Smith's often sarcastic character, Muriel (she was hilarious in the America scenes at the beginning when she was not impressed about how Americans serve their tea, haha! Also, loved that she has more screen time and a much more larger role on this one); Celia Emrie's flirty Madge (her random one-liners made me LOL the most, including two of them below...); and Penelope Wilton's Jean (even though she wasn't much on this second one...she was actually funny in this movie and less annoying than she was on the first film. She was still kind of snob though, but I'm guessing she was hiding her true feelings and her loneliness...). Judi Dench's Evelyn was pretty good too as well as the rest of the cast including Dev Patel as Sonny and newbie Richard Gere's Guy's character.

Here are some memorable (and hilarious) quotes from TSBEMH...

• "If you like it. You should put a ring on it." -Madge
• "Lord, have mercy on my ovaries." -Madge
• "I couldn't resist the chance to come out and visit the old crumbling ruins and see how the hotel was doing." -Jean
• "I'm sorry, did you say something?" -Muriel
  "I don't know why I tell you anything." -Evelyn 
• "How's America?" -Evelyn
  "It made death more tempting." -Muriel 
• "It takes team work to make a dream work" -Sonny
• "Some you win and some you learn." -Babul

Overall, I thought The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was a great and funny movie. It had a wonderful, moving story of growing old with a message that even as you get older, it's never too late to find love, a job or to go on with life. Also, there were a lot of humorous one-liners and dialogue, and a great acting from an equally great ensemble cast of veteran actors from the UK, India, and U.S. too. Although, mostly older people will love and enjoy watching this movie the most...still, even younger people (like myself) will do too. I know I did. The familiar faces (especially the always superb trio: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Penelope Wilton) and who's who of the British cast alone was worth watching. I recommend you see this movie, if you haven't yet. Go see it!

My The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel film rating:   (9.5/10 A)