Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
Cast: Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Dev Patel, Richard Gere, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, David Strathairn, Tasmin Greig, Tina Desai, Lillete Dubey, Diane Hardcastle, Shazad Latif, Zachary Coffin, Christy Meyer, Seema Azmi, Danny Mahoney, Denzil Smith, Eddie Bagayawa, Rajesh Tailang, Avijit Dutt, Gary Tantony.
Sequels either fall into the realm of needing to exploit a great and well received story to the point where accountants are more important than a writer or director, or they rush wonderfully into the murky depths of being so passionate and pure that the insatiable urge to know what happened next is too great to withhold. For the former, the audience does tend to see through it and acts accordingly, for the latter, you just want it be so encompassing that nobody can ever spoil it. Thankfully for the team behind The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the film falls very much into the latter.
Following on a few months after the events of The First Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, plans for expanding the Indian empire of hotels for those closer to the end of their days rather than the start, see a more confident but somehow still out of his depth Sonny, played with true passion and wonderful timing in a film full of grandees of British cinema by the excellent Dev Patel, trying to get to everything in place for his coming wedding, deal with the jealousy of being seen as less than ideal compared to an old friend and somehow being able to make everything work for his guests.
In a film that wonderfully mixes the idea proposed in the tremendous Bill Murray film, Lost In Translation, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel mixes and blends almost seamlessly cultures and the ages in life in which we are physically bound too. The film frames the idea that both the elder and the younger don’t have to fight for the space in the world, it is here for all to be a part of and this is captured with the realisations of the enormity of life when you think you have no one backing your corner.
Within a glittering cast that includes the flawless Bill Nighy, Judi Dench and the excellent Dev Patel, to watch Maggie Smith become peerless and shine like the glistening water of the Ganges as it flows inexorably towards the Indian Ocean, is to know just how much this incredible woman has given to the world of cinema and British television.
The renaissance and rightfully restored in the affections of the actor in the hearts of viewers is one to behold and her scenes with Dev Patel and Judi Dench are amongst the very best in very, very good film. Ms. Smith is able to convey with one look what many could not do in a hundred hours of rehearsal and it is that simplicity that captivates the soul.
As with all franchises, don’t be surprised if the luxury of a third film comes along at some point, some franchises deserve the full treatment after all.
Ian D. Hall