The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 3:41pm

Bliss.

How lovely it was to see a movie with characters I care about! To laugh, to feel concern, to understand, to hope, to enjoy the visual feast of this heavenly cast and the setting of India. The audience was old, young, gay, straight. The appeal is universal.

The movie made me feel and think. An incredible reminder to embrace life. Until the end.

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 03:41 PM

[romantico]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 4:00pm

I'm thinking about seeing this tomorrow. SO glad you started this thread. Now I am excited to see it. Thanks!

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 4:13pm

I'll look forward to your review! I hope you enjoy it.

I loved the 'journey' the film took us on.

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 04:13 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 4:18pm

LOVED THIS MOVIE. the entire cast is just sublime. And not to give anything away, but Tom Wilkinson's storyline was just beautiful and handled perfectly.

I can't recommend this movie enough.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 4:21pm

There's so much in it - I want to see it again.

The performances are, indeed, sublime!

(and, yes, Tom Wilkinson's storyline grabbed my heart)

Updated On: 5/28/12 at 04:21 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/28/12 at 6:44pm

The movie is sublime. After all the violence and explosions of The Avengers (which I enjoyed greatly) this move was the perfect antithesis.

The story is simply told and all of the actors involved are giving master classes in how to convey emotional depth and warmth.

Dench is a goddess and Wilkinson broke my heart. This is the best I've ever seen Nighy.
It's a perfect summer oasis.

Maggie is, as expected, perfection. She broke my heart too.

I love the message of letting go of control and letting go of fear.

Dev Patel is so freaking adorable.

I will prob see this again on a rainy summer day.

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:17pm

Well, this is very encouraging. I'm not opposed to life lessons and sentimentality when they're earned, but I was hoping against hope -- since I knew from the moment I saw the trailer I wanted to see this -- that the movie wouldn't be an all-out sap fest, full of pensioners slinging sassy one-liners (even if said pensioners so veddy venerable).

[romantico]

Posted: 5/29/12 at 6:30pm

Saw it today and LOVED it! Maggie and Judi were my favorites but everyone was great (including Penelope Wilton) It was flawless. Made you laugh, made you cry, but most of all it was just one of those feel good movies that doesn't go over board. I'd pay to see it again.

Oh, and Tom Wilkinson's story was both sad and beautiful.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 7:56pm

I saw it for a second time this afternoon.

I was so happy to see it again, as I've been giving so many aspects of the movie alot of thought over the last week.

I went with a friend who hadn't yet seen it (he LOVED it), and who has always told me that he and I will grow old by eachother's side. We are now dreaming of exotic adventures to keep us active during our sunset years.

It's such a wonderful, funny, thought-provoking, beautiful, moving, textured, many layered story. Brought to life by a dream cast. Each one of them, a gem.

Definitely worth a second viewing. (And, I imagine, once it's released to DVD, there will be more)

Updated On: 6/3/12 at 07:56 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 8:31pm

Just for some balance, I shall give my tuppenny's worth - I wasn't as mad about it as you guys - it was only okay. My allergy to Bill Nighy was playing up mightily, but otherwise it was quite enjoyable. I wouldn't watch it again, though.

[D2]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 9:32pm

And to tip the balance back to the positive side, I saw it this afternoon and LOVED it. I can't add anything else to the comments already made except to say I will also be seeing it again.

[romantico]

Posted: 6/3/12 at 10:21pm

This movie is making more at the box office than they had anticipated. Hopefully it will encourage more smaller films to go up against bigger ones. A film with a small budget like this does not have to make millions upon millions to break even. Look at last Summer's MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/23/12 at 11:23pm

I saw this last night and I thought it was just a delight from beginning to end.

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/23/12 at 11:49pm

I found it a mediocrity.

The actors were good, though.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/24/12 at 2:02am

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/24/12 at 9:45pm

I think the cast was good, but the writing was horrible.

For example:

***spoiler alert***

Halfway through the film, gay man finds his teenage lover. But uh oh, teenage lover is married to a woman. Let's part friends. But what do we do with him for the rest of the movie? Oh, just have Judi Dench do a voiceover saying he died of [heretofore unnoticed] heart problems. But just in case, shoot the following scene:
Gay man playing cricket with Indian kids
Indian boy: You all right guv'nor?
Gay man(looking fearfully in the distance): Oh yes, quite.


Married couple:
Woman: 30 years of public service and all we can afford is a dreary room in assisted living?
Man: Oh did I mention we gave all our money to our daughter's internet company?

Judi Dench: I don't know why I'm making this phone call to my son, but the director said cry, so here I am phoning and crying

Crotchety, acerbic British woman wakes up from hip replacement drugs 80% of the way through the movie. "Blimey, did you know that I used to run an entire household? I never mentioned it before, but my skills can save this hotel"

Celia Imrie: My character would be great if they had given me a story arc. But I'm just here to help the ugly old bearded man get laid.

Ugly Bearded Man: In the script rewrite, I got half of Celia Imrie's lines. Don't know why my character is in this movie, other than to make it an even number.

Updated On: 6/24/12 at 09:45 PM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/25/12 at 2:12pm

Loved it, will buy the Blu Ray and watch repeatedly. It's one of those sweet films with the perfect cast that I can watch again and again. I can definitely see Maggie Smith getting nominations for it.