The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)
Everyone loved The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, so it was no small wonder that everyone flocked to see the sequel when it came out a few years later. With a return from (almost) everyone in the original cast, it’s delightful to pick up where it left off. Judi Dench and Bill Nighy are enjoying their new life together, Maggie Smith is helping to run the hotel with Dev Patel, Celia Imrie is still a single playgirl, and Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle are living together like teenagers. But as Dev and Tina Desai plan their large, traditional Indian wedding and face off against their mothers-in-law, two unexpected guests throw a wrench in things.
Although Penelope Wilton “turned left” at the end of the first movie, she’s returned! It’s not really necessary to the plot, but we’d all miss her if she didn’t come back, right? And at last, the hotel guest that brought us all to the theaters: Richard Gere! We’re all going to pretend he hasn’t reached the age where he could join a senior center (and let’s face it, he hasn’t), and just enjoy the fact that he’s in this movie pitting all the ladies against each other as they vie for his attention.
Like most sequels, it isn’t as good as the original. It’s still very entertaining, but it mostly felt like everyone just wanted to make another movie together (and let’s face it, they did) than to further the plot and create another meaningful story. And as light and fun as this one is, complete with a wedding and flashy dances, keep in mind the drama of the first movie. If there’s a third movie, it’ll have a bit of “…and then there were eight” feeling to it. But no spoilers here.
More Judi Dench movies here!
More Maggie Smith movies here!
Although Penelope Wilton “turned left” at the end of the first movie, she’s returned! It’s not really necessary to the plot, but we’d all miss her if she didn’t come back, right? And at last, the hotel guest that brought us all to the theaters: Richard Gere! We’re all going to pretend he hasn’t reached the age where he could join a senior center (and let’s face it, he hasn’t), and just enjoy the fact that he’s in this movie pitting all the ladies against each other as they vie for his attention.
Like most sequels, it isn’t as good as the original. It’s still very entertaining, but it mostly felt like everyone just wanted to make another movie together (and let’s face it, they did) than to further the plot and create another meaningful story. And as light and fun as this one is, complete with a wedding and flashy dances, keep in mind the drama of the first movie. If there’s a third movie, it’ll have a bit of “…and then there were eight” feeling to it. But no spoilers here.
More Judi Dench movies here!
More Maggie Smith movies here!