I love this movie so much

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

I cant say enough good things about this movie. i hope they make another one so we can see what happens to all the characters i have fallen in love with.

Considering how great the first film was, 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' had a lot to live up to. Despite the mixed reviews, the cast are such a talented one and it did look interesting. Did also question the point initially and, considering that sequels with a few exceptions rarely are as good or better than their predecessors, expectations were sort of mixed.Finally seeing 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel', it was moderately enjoyable but with a fair share of faults so was a disappointment compared to its predecessor. Not as bad as some reviewers have made out, but it could have been much better and the complaints/criticisms are understandable and legitimate from personal opinion.Starting with 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel's' faults, it does get off to a slow start with the first half an hour taking too long to get going. There are also too many subplots, some of them not developed enough, slow the film down and are a little too contrived-ly written.Not all the cast work this time either. Dev Patel and Tamsin Grieg are annoying, but worst of all is an out of place Richard Gere who is very wooden as a character that was better left out. A little too heavy on the clichés too, with not enough done to make them interesting.However, 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' looks absolutely splendid. It's gorgeously filmed and the scenery is to die for. As is the lovely and authentic in flavour music.Parts of the script do work well, though the first film achieved a better balance of funny comedy and heartfelt drama. There are some heart-warming life lessons, some funny witty moments, uplifting warmth and cosy charm. The story is problematic, being a bit slow going in places and bloated, but does boast enough heart and charm, the ending is very touching.Of the talented cast, the standouts are the always good Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. Bill Nighy is a lot of fun too as is Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup similarly charms. One does miss Tom Wilkinson however.In summary, second best but not second rate. 6/10 Bethany Cox

From the start, this sequel had a great opportunity. The cast, the script all great plus using our film cars in Spain for the shootings.Over 400 films have been produced in our area in Spain. This title is one of the larger titles.After the movie was completed, our team watched our vehicles, and we added our behind the scenes videos and photos we captured on the set.What we captured was exactly like what was in the movie.I really liked how the film led up to a great wedding.Did you know we have over 100 cinema cars involved in this film, mostly for the beginning mustang scene?Our team was there at 4:00 in the morning, waiting to get on the highway. If you watch the left side and in front of the mustang you can see a glimpse of our other cars.But what made this film the best was not our cars, it was the production team and the cast.The last minute during the dance the cast and lead actors had to learn the dance moves impromptu , play the guitar, pet the dog.. were some phrases they used. Great movie to watch over and over.

The Exotic Marigold Hotel in India has become so ideal and popular for the British geriatric set, few rooms remain. Sonny (Dev Patel), with assistance from Muriel (Maggie Smith), appeals to financiers in America to offer funding for a second hotel. Ty Burley (David Straitham) says he'll send a person over to the hotel as a type of "spy" (basically inspector) to look at how operations are ran at the Marigold. Arrives two new "guests", a writer looking for a fresh start (Richard Gere) and a middle age woman (Tamsin Greig) shopping for a retirement place for her mom, for which might be the inspector Sonny will need to impress. You have numerous pleasant romantic subplots: Evelyn (Judi Dench) has a business opportunity at age 79 but a burgeoning romance with soon-to-be-divorced Douglas (Bill Nighy) could cause her to put what is important to her in perspective, Douglas' wife (Penelope Wilton) returns for a divorce, Norman (Ronald Pickup) realizes his girlfriend (Diana Hardcastle) has been meeting another man but doesn't know how to address the situation, and Sonny must deal with a paranoia involving what he perceives is a rival for his fiancé's affections (Shazad Latif). Also Guy Chambers (Gere) has eyes for Sonny's mom (Lilette Dubey)! Latif's Kushal also purchases an abandoned hotel that Sonny was wanting for his Second Best Marigold Hotel. Sonny's wedding to Sunaina (Tina Desai) goes through some ups and downs thanks to Kushal, while Muriel serves as a type of mentor (in her own growly, grouchy way) to him. Basically Muriel tells Sonny to figure it all out and get his ass in line. Matters such as Norman believing he accidentally hired a taxi driver to hunt down and kill his girlfriend and Muriel getting an ominous diagnosis at the clinic offer emotional highs and lows, but overall this is a breezy bit of Sunday afternoon fluff with some effortless class and grace from British greats allowed a break from the grind of Actor's Studio content. India serves as a lush backdrop and director Madden makes it all so evocative and easy on the eye. Patel is a wonderful young actor who proves he belongs on screen with real acting giants like Smith and Dench. I really was quite fond of Dench and Nighy's delicate, sensitive dance of romance that is especially sweet during Douglas' toast during Sonny's wedding dinner when Evelyn hands his Indian "vocal assistance" (his job as a tourist hinges on the boy speaking to him through a microphone, reading history from a laptop!) her own words to help him. Maggie's barbs with Dench always are a treat to me, and her adieu to the film is bittersweet but quite poignant. Gere and Dubey's first "date" where he describes his book to her (about her) is a highlight. Sonny's extra efforts to please Guy while ignoring the *other* guest (who might just be the inspector he believes is Guy) has its amusing moments, too. It is a busy plot, for sure, with a lot of moving parts, but I don't think this is a film that will lose its intended audience. If you liked the first, I don't see why you won't enjoy this one. A cast this rich just couldn't possibly disappoint.