Review of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) by Timothy A — 22 Mar 2015

There's a scene halfway through this where Judi Dench says something to the effect that if you put enough old people in one place, one of them is bound to die sooner rather than later (oh yeah, spoiler alert), but calling out the cliché doesn't excuse the using of it, and that may well summarise the entire film.

A stellar cast and an accomplished director do largely decent work, but nobody seems particularly excited by the predictable tale of late in life reinvention (and death). If you've ever bemoaned the way Hollywood cinema makes it look like everyone in non-anglo countries lives around the corner form beautiful vista and impressive landmarks, you'll never complain again after seeing Jaipur made to look as exciting and colourful as the back streets of Brixton.