The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Lost in an Exotic Locale

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Rated: PG-13 Sexual content and language
Release Date: May 4, 2012
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins

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Director: John Madden
Writers: Ol Parker, from the novel 'These Foolish Things' by Deborah Moggach
Cast: Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Tena Desae, Ronald Pickup

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SYNOPSIS: A group of British retirees find their way to India to a less than desirable hotel for a variety of reasons. While there, they struggle with finding their purpose.

REVIEW: John Madden, director of The Debt and Shakespeare in Love, brings together a collection of the best British actors and actresses for a tale revolving around the elderly and beautiful. With an adaptation by Imagine Me and You writer Ol Parker based on the Deborah Moggach novel 'These Foolish Things', Madden takes the audience, young and old, on a journey of discovery.

Several retired British men and women find themselves at a tipping point in their lives. Evelyn (Judi Dench, J. Edgar) lives a life of solitude after her husband's death, finding that he left her in a pool of debt. Bigoted and unhappy Muriel (Maggie Smith, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2) needs a new hip and can have the procedure completed more cheaply and more quickly outside of England. Graham (Tom Wilkinson, The Green Hornet) decides that he doesn't want to wait for a retirement party to make a change in his life. Douglas (Bill Nighy, Arthur Christmas) and his wife Jean (Penelope Wilton, The History Boys) have money troubles and a desperate need for a change. Madge (Celia Imrie, Nanny McPhee) looks for a change in scenery and a possible future husband, while Norman (Ronald Pickup, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) looks for some passion. All of them find themselves in India at a less than elegant and less than functional hotel run by a dreamy-eyed Sonny (Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire) looking to restore the wonder and glory into the establishment that his father always hoped to open.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (for the Eldery and Beautiful, as director John Madden joked that he would have added to the title if he could have) brings together the best and most talented actors and actresses from across the pond. Director John Madden artfully and skillfully weaves a colorful tapestry for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, telling a series of personal stories about the unfulfilled dreams of youth and the forgotten dreams of the elderly. Each member of this group traveling from Great Britain to India has their own reasons for the journey - most of them not of their accord. Forced from their homes due to finance or injury or unresolved issues, they arrive at a hotel run by Sonny that in no way resembles the gorgeous establishment depicted from the brochure or website. Evelyn, Graham, Norman, Muriel, Douglas and Jean, and Madge each has a road to travel looking for something missing in their lives. Evelyn had never done anything without her husband at her side. Graham seeks out a friend from his childhood in India years ago. Norman looks for a new outlet for romance and passion. Muriel, forced to travel to India for an operation, just tries to endure the trip. With Douglas and Jean, Douglas goes out to enjoy the wonders of the culture and the city while his wife Jean sits in the grassy courtyard of the hotel hoping life will change for the better. Madge seeks out adventure in hopes of snaring a husband. And Sonny, trying to fulfill his own and his late father's dreams of operating the hotel, tries to live up to the self imposed standards of worth for his girlfriend Sunaina (Tena Desae). All of their stories are told with attention to detail and handled with reverence and care, using the bustle and beauty of the city to help craft a visual pleasing and uttering engrossing film.

The caliber of artists involved in this film makes it worth seeing. Dench, Wilkinson, Nighy, Smith, Wilton, Imrie, and Pickup are a director's dream team. Each brings with them a stable of films and accolades and talent that allow the structure of the story to become something more than the sum of its parts. With the direction of Madden and a solid script from Parker, everyone in the cast is allowed to shine. Dench brings a practiced innocence to her role. Nighy struts about like a knight dismounting his steed, full of chivalry and vigor. Wilkinson and his softly booming voice commands attention at every turn. Maggie Smith speaks volumes with only a tilt of her head or roll of her eyes. Imrie and Pickup show that age is truly just a number. Not to be left out, Dev Patel's Sonny rattles on with boisterous and politely spoken dreams, only trying to secure the worth and love of the beautiful and sweet Tena Desae's Sunaina.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is one of those rare quiet films that spellbinds simply on the strength of the story, its cast members, and exotic locale. Madden uses his skills to the fullest, by letting his cast do what they do best. The story is funny and tender, sweet and real, subtle and simple. Through all of our lives, we live and survive. Some of us may live our entire lives content and fulfilled, but other may find that as the sun starts to descend in the western skies, their foot has stepped upon an unknown path headed to a destination that has yet to be revealed.

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WORTH: Matinee or Rental

The Last Airbender

Twisting In The Wind

[Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone]

It's Fourth of July weekend and more movies invade the big screen. Of course, with the holiday weekend comes family get-togethers, BBQs and no time to one's self. And with the 4th comes bigger or anticipated movies. Since this is the case, I had to bite the bullet and play for a full priced movie on Friday night. This was all strategic since I wanted the movies out of the way so I could enjoy the rest of the weekend.

SYNOPSIS: The ancient world is made up of 4 Nations representing air, water, earth or fire. Over the course of a century in the absence of the Avatar, the one who unites the hearts and minds of the Nations, the Fire Kingdom has waged war on the other tribes. With the return of the boy airbender Aang, the new Avatar incarnation, tribes start to unite against the Fire Kingdom for their independence.

I have always been a fan of M. Night Shyamalan's work. From the quiet desperation of "The Sixth Sense" to the water fantasy of "Lady in the Water" to the environmental politics of "The Happening", M. Night's writing and direction has been both subtle and classic to me. I am also a fan of Japanese anime from which the source material of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" originates. The question is whether these two forces can co-exist.

Right off the bat, I can tell you that the woman at the box office tried to talk me out of spending the extra money for the 3D experience. I was already going to the 2D show, but it was interesting that Tiffany would go the lengths to save me the extra $4. Shout out to Tif for looking out for me! That's what happens when you go to the movies as often as I do.

This certainly wasn't M. Night's best writing. I think he produces better films that come wholly from his own mind, not from established works. The narrative was sloppy and repetitive at the start, the dialogue was too obvious in trying to set up the back story instead of letting it unfold naturally, and some other dialogue was just unnecessary. For example, when the ice starts cracking under their feet, Sokka tells Katara to move back and avoid the chasms, instead of putting those words into action. This is starting to be a pet peeve of mine, I think.

Noah Ringer as Aang, the last airbender, falls flat throughout the first third of the film. As the movie progresses though, Noah matures as his character matures. By the end of the film, you can just begin to see the Avatar he was destined to embody. But only just. Nicola Peltz as Katara suffers from the same misdirection or misfortune. Dev Patel as Prince Zuko and Jackson Rathbone as Sokka have the most impressive acting resumes, but even they somehow missed the mark for me. Jackson will receive kinder words from me in my next review, I am sure.

The more seasoned actors fair better. Shaun Toub as Prince Zoka's uncle rings true as the fire nation warrior clinging to the old spiritual ways. Cliff Curtis as Fire Lord Ozai smolders with his iron fist bent on conquering all of the other nations. And Aasif Mandvi as Commander Zhao brings a cockiness and arrogance that could only have been bred if not familiar with the actor's skills.

Since the film does concern itself with the four elementals of air, water, earth and fire, we have to acknowledge their roles as well. Harnessing each of the elements are Benders with special ability born into each Nation. Each Bender learns and masters his Nation's element with a graceful martial arts choreography. Each Nation, based on their described element, has developed their culture based on that element. The Water Nation based their culture around water and ice, the Air Nation builds their monasteries high in the mountains to commune with their element, and the Fire Nation builds monstrous mechanical machines bent on domination. CGI has come a long way, and some of the sequences are pretty cool.

Although interesting and sometimes fun to watch, I think M. Night may not have the proper reach for this film. And if you do go to the film, expect an ending akin to the first "LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring" movie. Remember that feeling you had at the end of "Fellowship..." if you did not know that LOTR was in three parts. You are going to get that same disappoint here as well. Good luck.

Worth: Netflix