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THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL

Details: Published on Saturday, 19 May 2012 01:41

DON’T WAIT TO GROW OLD

TO CHECK INTO THIS HOTEL

By: Randy Leonhard, Fuerte Men Film Critic

The Brits, time and time again have shown nobody can do bittersweet comedy drama like they can. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, proves to be a sumptuous feast for the heart and soul. Director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) gets his money's worth out of the cast with each performance better than the next. What a cast it is too: Dame Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson (his performance of an elderly gay man searching India for his first love brings one of the truest, most honest and emotionally raw scenes of gay cinema I've ever seen) Bill Nighy, and the always-delightful Maggie Smith. Many Oscar™ nods and wins have gone their way and many more are surely going to come from Hotel.

Through a course of individual circumstances, a group of unacquainted British retires make their pilgrimage to India and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (for the elderly and beautiful) in hopes of living out their lives in peace. Upon arrival they find the Hotel less luxurious than advertised but without any more options left for them, they decide to make the best of the situation.

What follows is a emotional journey of love and hope, life and death, joy and for one character crushing despair in a cinematic setting that reminded me of Tales from the City, another gay classic.

The manager tells them, "It'll all be alright in the end. If it's not all right than it's not the end," – giving the viewer hope watching this seriocomic drama play out. Fox Searchlight always delivers the best when doing this type of genre and not a foot misplaced with this powerfully moving film. Bravo to writer Ol Parker from his adaptation of the novel by Deborah Moggach bringing to life truly well rounded characters (especially Wilkinson's gay, yet still masculine character not resorting to gay stereotypes to drive home the point) in a story that will touch the hearts of all that gaze upon it.

Rush out and book a room at The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, one of the best films of the year.

Rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sexual content and language.

Running time: 124 minutes

randyfinal About the Author

Randy Leonhard is an actor, film fanatic, and Pittsburgh based critic. His passion for theater and film is matched by his admiration for social media. You can follow Randy on Twitter @discoverkip.

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THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL

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