It begins with a hilarious lesson on making tea and continues with life lessons throughout, no wonder the screen was packed, admittedly the majority were over 60 but this is a film anyone would (and should) enjoy. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’s title is a play on the plot of the film as well as the fact that it is a sequel; historically most sequels tend to fail to live up to their predecessors however this one is just as good, if not better and definitely more ‘Bollywoodized’.
The same old familiar cast that you fell in love with the first time return with the welcome additions of Richard Gere and Tamsin Greig; you see how they have all have continued to grow within their new lives in Jaipur. There are lots of ‘laugh out loud’ moments, with some absolute classics from Dev Patel’s character Sonny Kapoor, including my favourite “like lemmings they come to the cliff edge, that is the Marigold Hotel”. With its wit and wisdom throughout, I dare anyone to come out of the cinema and not feel uplifted and enlightened. Although if you are feeling lonely the tears might flow quite readily, however if you are anything like me you will still leave feeling hopeful and optimistic after all as we learnt the first time around “everything will be all right in the end. If it’s not all right, it is not yet the end”.
Go to see it if you like positive unique catchphrases, grumpy old women and want to see Richard Gere and Judi Dench attempt Bhangra!
Showing at Broadway cinema daily at 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00 until March 12 book your tickets online here.
Review by Josie Opal
