Sonny and Sunaina are to be married, but complications arise when an expansion plan is threatened. With the hotel residents’ stories pretty much told in the first movie, this sequel struggles to justify itself, lifting instead the plot of a Fawlty Towers episode. Still, fans won’t complain, plus Richard Gere twinkles in support.
Tag: Celia Imrie
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011, dir. John Madden)
British senior citizens relocate to India, where they find themselves in a dilapidated retirement hotel. Slight but fun romantic comedy aimed directly at Mamma Mia! fans. A strong cast helps; the film decides this isn’t the place to schematically engage with the negative impacts of colonialism, going instead for crinkly and twinkly. A sequel soon followed.
Malevolent (2018, dir. Olaf de Fleur)
Sibling scammers running a spirit cleansing con face real ghosts. An old plot, though with some OK angles. The film’s overstuffed and can’t deal with all of its ideas fairly, though delivers some excellent jump scares. Comes off the rails by act three. Florence Pugh shows her early lead potential.
255 Review 