If there were an English international acting team, like football, this cast would have won fifty caps each often playing together in the same team. Each took their familiar roles such as a feisty Judy Dench, a thoroughly decent Tom Wilkinson, a xenophobic Maggie Smith and all played well. It just needed Juliet Stevenson, Julie Walters, Hugh Grant and Helen Mirren to appear in cameo roles as substitutes at half time. India also put in a stunning performance. The problem was the predictable script which began to drag after a good first hour. Bill Nighy could have ditched Penelope Wilton far sooner and saved about ten minutes. I kept feeling that I had seen the film before especially with all the actors playing in familiar positions. It was all too neat and everything came together all at the same time. A couple of other things didn't work either. I know it was supposed to have comic aspects but Dev Patel's stereotype might even have embarrassed Peter Sellars. However the most incongruous moment was when Maggie Smith suddenly revealed herself no longer a senile old nanny who used to manage a household budget but someone who could glance at a set of accounts and instantly assess a hotel business. I enjoyed it but it was really was a remake of Lavender Ladies' Room with a View of Cranford's Calendar Girls with Mussolini.
Review of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
