The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

As I time and time again have noticed, Romantic films about old people are scarse, but remembered. Examples of this are Notebook, Titanic and Mama Mia. Often however the focus of the story is in the younger cast, or more often than not, the younger versions of the elderly. This is not the case in The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, as the younger people only act as the means for the more immature audience to get into the film, and to provide a sence of eternality.

The story is as life itself, without beginning or end, we get dropped into the life of a hotel for the wealthy old people wishing to spend the rest of their years somewhere else than the same old boring London, New York or Wellington. Normally, one would say "the story centers around.." or "The focus is on..." This film has no center or main focus, the lives of each hotel-guest are touched upon fairly equally, as they provide roots for eachother. The roster of about 15 charcters is plenty enough for everyone to find someone they can identify with. Personally, I found most in common with Bill Nighy's charcter who has a difficulty approaching the woman he likes, played by Judy Dench. 

The Plot is 85% predictable, but I won't spoil it here. The other 15%? you might ask, that, is unclear to me. As the uttermost questionmark of a charachters fate is left to be determined out of a monolouge at the end.

The technical aspects of the film are usual and very steady, no sudden explosions or loud noises, the elderly was clearly in mind with the creation of the picture as even the younger generation is seen as all-internet experts or unsteady emotional wrecks.

But if a 16-year old high-school student can find enjoyment in a film made directly to the old-folks, can it really be bad? I only found out its a sequel while writing this review so it is clearly easy-to-get-into movie and easily the second best movie about hotels I have ever seen.