The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The trailer for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was one of the few, in recent times, to wet the appetite of it's audience, without giving too much away. It's also one of the few, in my experience, to garner such rapturous laughter(admittedly from an older audience) - greater even, than that of the main feature!
I was pleasantly surprised by this reaction and felt, based also on the pedigree of talent involved, the movie would do well upon release.
I don't know about box office receipts, but as a rich and understated story, the film is a huge success!
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a retreat of sorts, for the elderly(and beautiful!) - situated in Jaipur, India. The guests of this run-down but charming hotel are seven pensioners from England - who have all found their way to the hotel independently(save for two, who are already married).
Each has their own reasons for going and their own reasons for staying. As we come to understand these reasons, we find ourselves transported to India, fully engaging with these characters. Each is played to perfection by a who's who of top british talent including; Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Bill Nighy.
The screenwriter and actors have done a terrific job of fully realising each character. As elderly people, they appear steeped in life experience - at odds with both their past and future. Each actor has their moment to shine and by subtle increments we discover each characters past and learn of their anxiety and wonder towards the future.
As the characters are in such close proximity to one another, they have no alternative but to interact. This is amicable to all but one - who is ready to leave pretty soon after they arrive. India is the back-drop to this new adventure and while some embrace this foreign experience, others take more convincing. Friendships are made and some are broken, yet never does it feel forced or contrived.
Despite the predominantly elderly themes, there is an eighth story to be told in the hotel owner, played by Dev Patel. He is struggling to keep the hotel afloat, while endeavouring to maintain a relationship with his girlfriend.
These stories intermingle effortlessly and the result is an abundance of relatable human experience - regardless of age, sexuality or race. Not to reduce experience to singular codes or creeds, but there are some fabulous lines in this film, that some-up much of theses experiences - you'll be quoting for days afterward!
Adapted from the novel by Deborah Moggach, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a triumph of the human condition - and spirit. These characters could be middle-aged or even younger, but as elderly people, they show the living never want to stop living, irrespective of circumstance - 4/5.