The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Review

RYAN: This movie has the second worst title of a film, ever.  It’s just so long and awkward.  I really disliked the first one.  I give it a “Skip It” rating because I didn’t connect with it. I like this one better. As much as I wasn’t into the first one, there’s now familiarity with the characters and the actors are all so great.  This movie features many good morals and lots of quippy bits of advice, nice sentiments.

CHUCK: It does have a little bit of the Life’s Little Instruction Book-esque’ness to it.  And I love that the original cast, director, and screenwriter all came back together for this.  It did have the same tone and feeling.  And this cast could read you wikipedia articles and you’d be entertained – so much talent.

RYAN: Exactly.  And then the new addition of Richard Gere and even David Strathairn has a bit part – they can also really do no wrong.  This movie is such an unlikely sequel.  The first one did well but there are not many rom coms for seniors to begin with, and then when do they get a sequel?  There was Red and Red 2, but they were action.  Cocoon had a sequel.

CHUCK: There was a Cocoon 2. 

RYAN: It’s unlikely but in that sense, it’s rare and why not?

CHUCK: As much as is it about the silver haired set, it does cross generations.  I don’t know anyone who didn’t like the first one, except for you.

RYAN: (laughs) Speaking of cross generational, we do have Dev Patel and his storyline.  He’s hilarious in this.  Overacting a bit but not off putting.  I preferred the humor in this movie over most outright comedies I see.

CHUCK: That’s where I didn’t like it as much.  There’s more comedy in the first half and when that subsided, I began to enjoy the movie more.

RYAN: The weakest part of the film for me is its predictability.  Lit’rally every storyline, and the ending, I had figured out within the first few minutes.

CHUCK: There was one too many characters and story lines.

RYAN: It’s trying to be Love Actually.

CHUCK: (laughs)

RYAN: One storyline is left unclear.

CHUCK: There were a couple things that went in weird directions but we don’t do spoilers so cannot be specific.  India looks beautiful in it though.  You don’t have to have seen the first one but it might help a bit to get you on the same page right away.

RYAN: I’m not in love with the ending.  I have to say that.  It is a crowd pleaser though.  It’s fun to watch and these actors are terrific so it’s a light, fun option at the theater, and again, a major improvement from the first.

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