The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

In a blog post on September 1st, 2010, I discussed a movie Dave and I had just seen called Cairo Time. What I liked most about it was that it took me to Cairo.  Visually, it was exciting beyond measure.  There are so many places I'd like to go but I won't because I have neither the time nor the energy nor the money.  But the movies take me.  Isn't this a wonderful time in which to live?

I felt the same way last week when we saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - for the Elderly and Beautiful.  This time it's not Egypt but India that we get to feast on.  And the icing on the cake is four of my very favorite British actors, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, and Bill Nighy.  It also stars that kid from Slum Dog Millionaire, Dev Patel.

By the way, these actors have 14 Academy Awards between them.  

The story is about seven older Brits who lost their retirement money so can't afford to live out their lives in their homeland - sort of like some of us here in the U. S. of A.  But, instead of Mexico, they get sucked into traveling to a dilapidated  retirement hotel in Jaipur, India, run by Dev Patel.  

The film is funny, sad and somewhat predictable.  But it's a redemption movie.  My favorite kind.  And the two hours in India is fantastic. 

***