You can wait around and hope that such consummate actors as Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton will be around forever. But they wont. So when they show up together in a movie, even a sequel as wobbly as The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, youd be wise to just sit back and behold. Second Best hows that for truth in advertising? is basically the same movie asthe 2012 original without the novelty. Its still about British seniors seeking a retirement haven in India. But the follow-up only exists because the original hit the box-office sweet spot. Hollywood, which traditionally ignores the interests of seniors hell, make that adults in general saw a new audience to exploit.
So the old gang has been rounded up for another go. Dont worry. It only sounds like codger cattle-prodding. Director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) knows his job is basically to juggle the clichs in Ol Parkers script. But his affection for his cast is genuine. So is ours. Instead of going gentle into that good night, the seniors at the Marigold in Jaipur are actually spreading their wings. Evelyn (Dench), at 79, becomes a buyer of exotic fabrics. Douglas (Nighy) is a charmingly clueless tour guide whos trying to seduce Evelyn since his wife, Jean (Wilton), has left him. And Muriel (Smith) has agreed to co-manage the hotel with dithering Sonny (Dev Patel), who wants to expand now that hes about to marry his fiancee (Tina Desai). That sends Muriel and Sonny to the U.S. to hustle financing from an investor (David Strathairn) who sends an inspector to India to spy on the operation. Is that spy silver-haired charmer Guy Chambers (Richard Gere)?
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Ill never tell. But theres no denying that Gere spices up the proceedings, especially when he takes a shine to Sonnys mom (Lillete Dubey). Madden throws everything he can at the screen, including a Bollywood wedding and the spectre of death. He neednt have bothered. Its delicious to watch Dame Maggie aim a zinger (Just because Im looking at you when you talk, dont think Im listening or even interested). And Dench and Nighy are class personified. The secret here is merely to luxuriate in the pleasure of their company.