To make the most of their meager retirement savings, a group of British seniors relocates to India to live out their golden years at the Marigold Hotel. But upon arrival, they discover that the once-lavish resort has wilted considerably.
For those of us in the senior set used to British film and TV, this feel-good fantasy is a welcome relief from today’s film violence, gloom, and never ending series of super heroes. You may have to suspend a bit of disbelief and just accept the several happy results. But isn’t that what a feel-good movie is all about?
In addition you get to enjoy a colorful travelog through the best parts of the city of Jaipur in India. All those magical sights alone are worth the time spent watching the film.
Because I was disappointed in myself for not being able to name all these British actors whose faces are so familiar, I review them:
Judy Dench we all know from “As Time Goes By”.
Tom Wilkinson was Archie in “The 44-Inch Chest”.
Bill Nighy, the tall thin man who played the long-suffering husband Douglas Ainslie, was Dr. Black in “Doctor Who”.
Penelope Wilton, who played Nighy’s unhappy wife, was Isobel Crawley in “Downton Abbey”.
Maggie Smith is, well, Maggie Smith.
Ronald Pickup, the wannabe gigolo Norman Cousins, has been a support actor in many performances such as Jeffrey Livingstone in “The Jury II”.
Celia Imrie, the sad Madge Hardcastle who tries to pass herself off as Princess Margaret, is also a familiar supporting actress in such roles as Lady Glenmire of”Cranmore”.
Possibly I am prejudiced by my age group, but I say DON’T MISS IT!
Each determined to win the heart of a sexy blonde bombshell, two best friends and CIA spies turn their secret-agent skills against each other, heedless of the ever-widening trail of wreckage and collateral damage they leave in their wake.
“Acceptable Chick Flick Trash” fairly well summarizes this B-film. As you might expect you will encounter crude language, much talk about penises, flirting, sex scenes, etc. What you might not expect are all the CIA action sequences with lots of shooting. Except for the final action sequence that actually involves Reese Witherspoon, the other action sequences seem almost pointless.
Chris Pine you know as Will from “Unstoppable”. Tom Hardy is more of a newcomer to film. He was one of the fighting brothers in “Warrior”.
Having prepared you for the worst, you are now free to sit back and just enjoy the trash.
Not to be confused with the tale by Ernest Hemingway, this unsettling drama recounts the violent criminal assault and robbery committed against a middle-aged couple, and their discovery that a person they knew orchestrated the attack.
Ignore the NetFlix description. This French film set in Marseille is ultimately a feel-good story in which optimism and kindness triumph. You can find the full plot in the Wikipedia article. If anything the film dramatizes the difficulty of life in Marseille, but actually in any area beset with unemployment, for the younger generation.
As a short version: the husband in the older couple is a loyal unionist who loses his job during a layoff which also effect a certain young employee. Whereas for the older man this layoff is not a tragedy (he owns his house, his wife works), the younger man has an irresponsible young mother (you will be shocked) and two school age younger brothers for whom he is responsible. Out of desperation that younger man robs and assaults the older man, his wife, and another older couple. Accidentally the older man discovers who the culprit is. As the film progresses the older man comes to understand the young man’s difficulties. Finally I will tell you that the culprit is sentenced to 15 years (which will mean 2 or 3 years). Beyond that you have to discover for yourself the heartwarming developments.
