MYST Post #3: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a charming tale that follows the lives of a group of elderly individuals who despite very different backgrounds and circumstances find themselves brought together by enticing advertisements of a luxurious Indian palace known as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. In all, the group is comprised of seven individuals: Evelyn, Graham, Jean, Douglas, Muriel, Madge, and Norman (played by Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Celia Imrie, and Ronald Pickup respectively). Yet, upon arriving at the hotel, the group is shocked to find that the pictures that they were shown in the brochures were embellished quite a bit. In fact, rather than finding themselves in a grandiose yet peaceful Indian resort, they learn quickly that they are in the midst of what their optimistic and young host, Sonny, would call a work in progress. However, as time goes on, the group learns that the only way to cope with the dramatic culture shock is to dive head first into each new opportunity. In all, the film delves into the timeless themes of following your heart, living life to the fullest, and letting go of the past in order to fully appreciate the present.

Although the cast of this heartwarming film is most definitely a success as a whole, there were two individuals in particular who stood out in my mind. The first of which is Judi Dench in the role of Evelyn. Although many will automatically associate this talented English actress with her captivating role in the James Bond movies, I found that she was also incredibly believable in her role as the kind-spirited and grieving Evelyn. For while Evelyn’s adventure in India started out in heartbreak following the death of her husband Hugh, her openness to the changes around her as well as her unique ability to somehow start again are not only admirable, but also inspiring.

The second individual who blew me away in this film was renowned actress Maggie Smith in her role as Muriel Donnelly. In the film, Muriel is a very outspoken and fiery personality. She says whatever is on her mind whenever she sees fit. This is a characteristic that sometimes gets her into trouble seeing as she is a bit racist. In fact, she does not particularly like anyone who is not British. Nevertheless, she makes the decision to go to India on the grounds that she is in need of a hip transplant that can be done much faster and cheaper in India. Once she arrives, she flies very much under the radar, unaccustomed to the many changes in pace and culture and refusing to eat anything that she cannot pronounce. As the film progresses, you begin to see her hard outer shell begin to crumble as the truth about her past is revealed. Ironically, it is this newfound perspective that causes her to recognize the powerful impact that she could have on the present.

One aspect of this film that I thought was very well done was the editing. There were many instances within the film where the editing was very rapid and choppy. As an audience, you would be presented with one image, however very shortly after, the shot would cut to another without the slightest warning at all. A perfect example of this is seen when the group first arrives in India. Almost immediately, they are engulfed in the bustling city bombarded with an array of foreign sights, sounds, and smells. As each shot is quickly being cut to another, the sense of chaos that the group is feeling is very clearly portrayed. As Evelyn so accurately puts it, there is perhaps no other place in the world that is a greater “assault on the senses.”

In addition to the editing, I also thought that the film’s use of sound was very interesting. Just as with editing, sound was also used in order to create a feeling of entrapment and chaos. One of the ways that this was done was through bombarding the audience with many different sounds all at once. For example, rather than just hearing the steady drum of people on the streets, you would also hear the occasional honk of a horn combined with the motor of the traffic and the voices of venders along the road. Through this overwhelming use of sound, you truly feel as though you are being consumed by the culture too.

In all, I would recommend this film to viewers that are a bit older simply because I believe that it is a film that caters mostly to those who can better relate to the protagonists and the changes that they are forced to deal with. That being said, I do not think that other age groups cannot enjoy the film as well.  Overall, I enjoyed the film’s optimistic message and subtle comedy and would give it a 80%.