The love punch (Emma Thompson)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s ten years since we watched the 2013 film ‘The love punch’. Neither of us could recall anything about it, and we wanted something light to watch. So we decided on this film, noting that all four of the main cast were people we knew of. We’re not generally very aware of a lot of famous actors, so this was unusual.

Emma Thompson is wonderful as the middle-aged divorced Kate. We see her at a wedding, bumping into her ex-husband Richard (Pierce Brosnan). It’s clear that they still have things in common, but they can’t seem to exchange more than a couple of sentences without being unpleasant to each other. Emma Thompson has a gift of becoming the person she is playing - and I thoroughly enjoyed her role. 

Pierce Brosnan doesn’t seem to be quite as versatile; while the role of Richard is different from his best-known James Bond, there’s still a fair bit in common with the two. He looks and sounds like himself; not that it’s a problem, since his character fits very well with that of the businessman Richard. 

The Second-Best Exotic Margold Hotel (Dev Patel)

(Amazon UK link)

After we re-watched the excellent film ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ nearly two years ago, I was eager to see the sequel again. But it wasn’t on our shelves; eventually I recalled that it was our son’s DVD of ‘The Second-best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ that we saw back in 2015. It took me over a year to acquire the sequel for ourselves - I eventually found it at a good price on Amazon UK and it was brought out to us by relatives who visited at Easter.

It took a few more months before we sat down to watch the film, and found that we couldn’t remember the storyline at all. It opens in the United States; Muriel (Maggie Smith) and Sonny (Dev Patel) are hoping to expand the hotel, and are asking for support from an American hotel chain. People are staying long-term at the ‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, and there are almost no rooms available for new arrivals.

Sonny is a wonderful creation, full of enthusiasm, but not understanding how to present his case in a way that might be attractive to the American chain. The owner does agree to send an inspector, but it doesn’t look too hopeful.

Back in India, two new guests arrive, and Sonny decides that one of them, an American called Guy Chambers (Richard Gere) must be the inspector. So he goes overboard with compliments, tries to allocate him the best room, and barely acknowledges the other guest.

Meanwhile Sonny’s fiance Sunaina (Tina Desai) is learning new dance moves with her brother’s best friend. Sonny, who’s oddly insecure under his extraverted enthusiasm, is convinced he has a rival. All the more so when he learns that the hotel he hopes to acquire has been bought already. He tries to persuade his mother to go on a date with Guy Chambers, but she is reluctant.

There are several other subplots too, involving the other characters: Douglas (Bill Nighy) would love to become closer to Evelyn (Judi Dench), but she’s wary - and she’s been offered a job, too, despite being close to eighty. Muriel, meanwhile, has what is evidently unpleasant news from her doctor, although we never learn what it is; she’s a bit grouchy at the best of times. And Norman (Ronald Pickup) is a bit concerned that he’s asked his taxi driver to do something he doesn’t want at all…

It’s all quite complex, with the background of the noise and vibrancy of Indian markets as well as day-to-day life in the hotel. There are a few surprises - we had entirely forgotten what happened - and I was a bit puzzled about one or two of the storylines. But it didn’t matter. With the all-star cast, the conversations and action move ahead flawlessly, with some beautifully choreographed light humour, as well as some poignancy amidst the various stresses and misunderstandings.

We enjoyed the film very much, and afterwards watched the ‘theatrical trailer’ extras which gave short snippets from some of the cast and film crew. It was good to see how enthusiastic the cast were, and how they had all been delighted to take part in a sequel to the first film.

The rating is PG, which makes sense: there’s no violence, or anything explicit and I didn’t even notice any bad language. However there are a lot of innuendoes and implications; the storyline is unlikely to be of any interest to children anyway.

Definitely recommended, although I think it would be extremely confusing if you haven’t first seen the original ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ film. 

Review copyright 2023 Sue's DVD Reviews

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Dev Patel)

(Amazon UK link)

We like re-watching films on DVD that we have not seen for at least six or seven years, since by that stage we have usually forgotten some of the storyline, and most of the details. It’s more than eight years since we watched ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, but we recalled enjoying it. So it seemed like a good film to choose for a light evening’s viewing.

We remembered the outline - that a diverse group of people travel to India to stay in a hotel which turns out to be nowhere near as glamorous as it’s advertised. It’s still being refurbished, the rooms are not ready… and there have not even been any previous guests. We remembered, too, the young and enthusiastic Indian owner Sonny (Dev Patel) - but that was about the limit of our recollections.

The film opens with brief scenes in the lives of the people who are going to be travelling. And it’s quite an all-star cast. Judi Dench - excellent as always - plays the recently-widowed Evelyn. She’s spent all her married life trusting her husband, and doing almost nothing independently. Now she’s discovered that he had a lot of debt… and her home must be sold.

Maggie Smith also features in this - she, too, is superb as the elderly and extremely bigoted Muriel. She needs an operation but would have to wait many months with the NHS, so - somewhat under protest - she is sent to India. Muriel’s gradual healing and transformation - and the apparent shedding of a couple of decades - is one of the highlights of this film.

Then Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton play a not-very-happily-married couple, Douglas and Jean, who are looking at retirement homes. Douglas is very much in the style of Nighy’s other characters, but it works well. Jean is a complainer who doesn’t much like doing anything, but is quite outspoken.

Celia Imrie is Madge, who is fed up with continual childminding for her grandchildren, even though she loves them. I found her character the weakest, not really fitting in with anyone else. She’s a snob, on the lookout for a man (so long as he’s high class, preferably royalty). But I couldn’t quite believe in her.

Finally there are two single men: Norman (Ronald Pickup) who is on the lookout for some intimacy with women, and doesn’t think his age should prevent him, and Graham (Tom Wilkinson) who has just retired as a lawyer, and is the only member of the group who has actually lived in India.

These folk meet at the airport when their flight to the ‘Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ is cancelled, and Graham is the one who organises their transport. It’s a stressful journey but they hope for a place of respite when they arrive… only to discover rooms that are full of dust (or worse), some without doors, none of them prepared. And the film is about the way that each of them, in different ways, adjusts - or doesn’t adjust - to the new environment, the sounds and colours in India, and the culture, which is quite alien to most of them.

With such an incredible cast, it’s not surprising that this film works extremely well, focussing on the friendships that gradually build up, and the ways that the people in the group change as their horizons are widened. There’s quite a bit of humour, and it manages to be amusing without being offensive; fun is poked not at Indian culture as such but at the foibles and biases of the English visitors. Dev Patel as Sonny is also extremely funny with excellent timing and expressions, as he works hard to persuade everyone around him to support his vision.

It’s not just a comedy, though - there’s a romantic thread that looks at the way Indian marriages happen, and there’s a great deal of pathos, as some of the people confront excessive poverty and learn to behave in ways that do not conflict with the values of their hosts.

All in all we thought it an excellent film, and were only disappointed that the one ‘extra’ is extremely short, saying very little. The rating of 12 (UK) or PG-13 (US) seems appropriate; there's nothing explicit, but many sexual references, and some mild violence as well as one or two potentially disturbing scenes. However, a film like this about retired people is unlikely to be of interest to children or younger teens anyway.

Review copyright 2020 Sue's DVD Reviews

Calendar Girls (Helen Mirren, Julie Walters)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s ten years since we saw the now classic film ‘Calendar Girls’. We remembered liking it, and of course we remembered the basic outline of the story. But we had forgotten all the detail, so it was more than time to see it again.

The opening scenes show a respectable village, with a thriving Women’s Institute. At every meeting the group sings the song ‘Jerusalem’, accompanied on the piano. The women involved take part in village fairs, and cake-baking contests, and other traditional WI activities.

But two women, good friends, stand out a little from the crowd. They don't really fit in, and they find some of the ceremonies and practises a tad ridiculous. Julie Walters plays Annie, who is worried because her beloved husband is very ill. And Helen Mirren plays Chris, who is something of a rebel. She doesn’t bake, or do anything traditionally associated with the WI. She only belongs to the group as a way to socialise.

Annie’s husband dies, and she wants to do something constructive to raise money for a sofa for the local hospital. A calendar is suggested. The rather dull WI chair has proposed a thematic calendar with local churches. Chris spots a playboy type calendar in a local garage, and suggests that perhaps some of the WI could do something similar, albeit more tastefully. This was the part of the story we remembered and is the main focus of the film.

There’s a lot of humour; Helen Mirren and Julie Walters work well together, with excellent give-and-take. Both are talented actresses, and these roles are very different from others where they are perhaps better known. Despite the sad catalyst for the calendar, the women who agree to be photographed have a lot of fun together. The photographer helps them by suggesting suitable poses, and it all works well. Then they must publicise it, and try to sell at least a thousand in order to break even…

The acting is excellent, the timing is great, and the script is superb. There are some poignant moments early in the story, and also when Chris’s teenage son becomes embarrassed at what’s going on. Then her husband is very tolerant but their business selling flowers is starting to suffer. There were places where we chuckled, several places where we smiled, and more than one place where I felt quite choked up.

All in all we thought it an excellent film. It’s the kind of thing which would perhaps be considered ridiculous… except for the fact that it was based on a true story. One of the ‘extras’ includes interviews with some of the original ‘Calendar Girls’, which we thought was very interesting, and added to the enjoyment of the film.

Definitely recommended. The rating is 12A in the UK, PG-13 in the US. Given that there’s partial nudity (though entirely non-sexual) and some minor bad language, that seems about right. It’s unlikely to be of interest to children or younger teens anyway.

Review copyright 2019 Sue's DVD Reviews

Imagine Me and You (Piper Perabo)

(Amazon UK link)

In general, I read reviews before putting DVDs on my wishlist. There are many which look appealing at first glance, or which Amazon recommends to me, which I realise I would not like at all once I have read a few reviews. I look at the negative ones primarily. Sometimes a poor review can actually convince me that I would like a film. And in most cases I’ve chosen appropriately.

However, sometimes I browse the DVD shelves of a charity shop or church fair. Then I pick out a few that look interesting, based on the look of the cover, the actors listed on the front, and the blurb on the back. The results are typically somewhat mixed. Last week we watched the excellent film ‘Doubt’, for instance, which I had bought under these circumstances. It was well worth seeing.

Another DVD I picked up at the same church book stall is ‘Imagine me and you’. It was billed as ‘the best British rom-com since Notting Hill’. Made in 2005, it does not have any names I recognised on the front. However it features photos two young women and two young men. The blurb tells me that a newly married couple are settling down when the wife meets someone who turns her life upside down. The story, we’re told, is poignant and hilarious (words that don’t usually go together, in my view).

It starts well. Rachel (Piper Perabo) is about to get married to her best friend and lover Hector (Matthew Goode), whose name is bizarrely abbreviated to ‘Heck’. Heck’s best man Cooper (Darren Boyd) is evidently a promiscuous womaniser, and has no desire to settle down. Cooper is rather attracted to Lucy (Lena Headey) who is employed as the florist for the wedding. She is also, a little confusingly, involved in the wedding party - meeting people, having a drink, even dancing.

Rachel and Heck think Cooper and Lucy would make a nice couple; Rachel feels a strong kinship with Lucy as soon as she meets her and hopes they can be friends. Then they learn something about Lucy that turns everything upside down… that part of the blurb, at least, is correct.

There are some amusing moments in the film. Rachel’s young sister H (Boo Jackson) is full of intelligent questions, albeit rather caricatured ones, and some of the responses or interactions following are quite humorous. Rachel’s parents, too, have an exaggerated love-hate relationship. Her mother Tessa (Celia Imrie - one of the few names I recognised) is excellent. Rachel’s father Ned (Anthony Head) makes a good straight man, clearly fond of his daughters and letting his wife’s constant criticisms go over his head. Tessa and Ned’s relationship provides one of the poignant parts of the film, too.

However, although the film is well made and the actors excellent, on the whole, I really didn’t like the storyline. I found it disturbing - not for what might seem obvious reasons, if you have seen it, but because of the idea that ‘falling in love’ in an instant can - and should - trump years of growing love and closeness. It also suggests that promises and commitments mean nothing, if one partner decides that somebody else is more attractive.

So although it’s a well-made film, I really wouldn’t recommend it. Particularly, for reasons which I won't give as they would be spoilers, I don't recommend it to fundamentalists of any religion. If you want to know why, a quick glance at Amazon reviews (or elsewhere) would tell you.

The rating is 12A in the UK, which I think is about right, though I might have opted for 15; I doubt it would be of much interest to younger teens anyway. There’s some ‘strong’ language, though not a great deal, and plenty of discussion about sex, but nothing shown beyond some kissing. I don’t recall anything remotely violent. However the US censors, perhaps due to the occasional ‘strong’ language,  or possibly the nature of the story, have rated this as R.

I'm pretty sure I won't be watching this again - but at least it only cost me a euro!

Review copyright 2018 Sue's DVD Reviews

Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson)

(Amazon UK link)

It’s over ten years since I was given the DVD of ‘Nanny McPhee’. It made excellent post-Christmas viewing, and over the past few years it’s been watched a handful of times by some young visiting friends. However I didn’t have any particular desire to see it again myself.

But our three-year-old grandson is staying, and during some very hot weather recently, his parents thought it would be a good idea for him to have some quiet time in the air conditioning, watching a DVD. We don’t have anything intended for children this age, but the cover appealed to him and I couldn’t think of any reason why it might not be suitable. Indeed, I thought he might find it quite amusing since I remembered that it featured some very naughty children…

I ended up watching with my daughter-in-law and grandson. I remembered the storyline - a widowed father (Colin Firth) has seven children who are running riot in his household, scaring away a succession of nannies from the agency. The children are all excellent in this film, working together as a team, with excellent comic timing.

Then the mysterious wart-covered Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson, looking most unlike herself) arrives, and takes over….

There’s more than a hint of magic in the story; Nanny McPhee’s staff has some strange properties, which can keep children immobilised, or even reverse damage. The children don’t like her at all at first, and want to get rid of her. But gradually they realise that she’s on their side, and that they’re stressed and lonely. She says she is going to teach them some ‘lessons’ (such as getting out of bed in the mornings when called) but their father also has to learn to relate better to them.

Alongside this main storyline we learn that the family is supported by a strict great-aunt, as the father’s job cannot pay the bills and provide food for so many children. The great-aunt wants the father to remarry….

I was a little anxious at first, since my grandson is quite sensitive, and I’d forgotten just how loud and badly-behaved the children were at the start. I was also concerned that he might find Nanny McPhee rather frightening when she first appears. The fact that the father works as an undertaker seems rather inappropriate for a children’s film, but that went right over my grandson’s head, as did the fact that the children’s mother died after the baby was born.

It took him a while to get into the story, but towards the end he started laughing at a slapstick (and very messy) scene involving cake. He also loved the magical snow-covered Cinderella type ending.

Really more suitable for children of about six or seven upwards. The rating is U in the UK; the US rating of PG is, in my opinion, more appropriate. There are a couple of mild ‘bad’ words, though not noticeable by a three-year-old. There’s also a scene full of innuendoes, though nothing explicit. There’s a fair amount of mock violence too, more than I’d remembered, though mostly intended to be humorous.

But overall this is a very enjoyable film and I’m delighted that I had the opportunity to watch it again!

Review copyright 2017 Sue's DVD Reviews

What we did on our holiday (David Tennant, Rosamund Pike)

(Amazon UK link)

‘Hilarious British comedy’, the blurb said. One of the stars is David Tennant, who’s pretty good value in anything. The second is Billy Connolly, whom I’ve only recently begun to appreciate as a character actor. The third is Rosamund Pike, who was one of the Bennet sisters in the 2005 version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’. 'What we did on our holiday' was an obvious film to add to my wishlist, and one that I was pleased to be given at Christmas.

We weren’t so certain about it when it started. We meet a family who are clearly under stress. The parents - we quickly learn - are separated, putting on a united front for the sake of an elderly and terminally ill grandparent. The three children are caught up in this, the eldest asking for clear lists of lies which should be told, and what information must not be revealed to the extended family. The youngest, meanwhile, has a passionate attachment to a collection of stones, all of which must travel in the car on their lengthy journey into Scotland.

The journey is long, dogged by traffic and parental bickering. The eventual arrival is overshadowed by the evident frailty of Grandpa, and the shallowness of the children’s uncle, who is organising a huge party to celebrate his father’s imminent 75th birthday.

It’s hardly the theme of a ‘hilarious comedy’. It could have been maudlin, even devastatingly tragic. But somehow it works. The acting is superb, and the characters are believable despite some increasingly bizarre scenes. Even the inevitable tragedy and parental obliviousness manage, somehow, to feed unexpectedly humorous lines and situations.

And yes, we laughed. This was no schadenfreude: our sympathies were with the children. We felt for them in their difficult decisions, and their determination to honour their grandfather. The parents, caught in the middle, with their petty, sometimes selfish concerns, were the ones who were the butt of most of the humour.

The children reminded me forcibly of the three ‘Railway Children’ at times, in the way they pulled together, and their general chemistry. We didn’t watch the extras so I don’t know if their parts were closely scripted or more spontaneous: it doesn’t matter. They were exceptional in their parts, believable as a family unit. They pulled together in the face of unreliable adults, and their comic timing was superb.

I wondered in the early stages - and towards the middle - whether this film would be disappointing, or depressing. But despite the bittersweet and potentially tragic theme, it was a thought-provoking, uplifting, and thoroughly enjoyable film.

Rated 12 for some bad language and innuendoes, and a potentially devastating scene that could disturb younger or more sensitive viewers. But, with those provisoes, I would definitely recommend it. 

Review copyright 2016 Sue's DVD Reviews

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Dev Patel, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith)

(Amazon UK link)

We very much enjoyed ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ when we watched it a couple of years ago; I wasn’t sure I would like the sequel, but our son put it on his wishlist and was given it for a recent birthday. We decided to watch it together on Saturday evening.

‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ features many of the same characters as the first film, now living quite happily in the hotel for retired/senior citizens. At the start, Sonny (Dev Patel) and Muriel (Maggie Dench) have flown to the United States to apply for sponsorship by a large company as they hope to expand the hotel business. They are told that a hotel inspector might visit..

Most of the film then follows the residents, and two new visitors, as they go about their varying daily lives and businesses. Evelyn (Judi Dench) is startled to be offered a job, despite being almost 80; not only that, but she’s been courted, in a low-key kind of way, by Douglas (Bill Nighy) who is now separated from his wife (Penelope Witten). Judi Dench is excellent in her role, and while Bill Nighy’s character is similar to those he plays in other films, their growing friendship works well.

The plot, such as it is, weaves around the different characters, giving insights into their lives and (in a low key way) that of Indian culture. There are some amusing and also poignant sections, although I found the scenes with Madge (Celia Imrie) and Carol (Diana Hardcastle) to be a little confusing and mostly tedious; neither seemed realistic, even in a caricatured way.

However they were more than compensated for by Evelyn’s story, and also that of Sonny. Dev Patel is excellent as the overly-enthusiastic hotel founder and owner, engaged to be married to Sunaina (Tina Desai) but worried that she’s spending too much time with her brother’s best friend. He is also absolutely convinced he knows who the hotel inspector is…

It’s nicely made, with the bonus of some enjoyable dance scenes, culminating in a celebration which has its own poignancy alongside the tremendous joy and enthusiasm of most of those involved. I’m not sure I liked it quite as much as the first, and am glad to know that there won’t be a third; this one tied off several threads quite neatly, and any more would be too much.

Rated PG which I’d say is about right, although it’s unlikely to be of any interest to children or young teenagers. There’s no violence or anything explicit, but there’s a sprinkling of bad language and plenty of suggestive references.

Recommended, but not as a standalone; the first film gives so much background into the people and situations that this one, I think, would be highly confusing to see without having seen the original.

Review copyright 2015 Sue's DVD Reviews

The Love Punch (Pierce Brosnan, Emma Thompson)

(Amazon UK link)

We were wandering round a supermarket in the UK and spotted this - along with several other DVDs - on offer, at less than £3 each. We had never heard of this particular film. But we know of and like the two main stars (Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson) and we both like the rom-com genre, on the whole.

Last night we watched it with our mid-twenties son. He also liked the sound of it based on the actors and the blurb on the back. We were all quite tired and wanted something fairly fluffy: a ‘feel-good’ story that didn’t require too much thought. ‘The Love Punch’ delivered on all counts.

The story is about a divorced couple. Richard (Pierce Brosnan) is a wealthy businessman on the point of retirement. He’s starting to feel his age, with various ailments getting worse. Moreover, despite being something of a womaniser, he seems to be losing his touch. There’s more than a nod to his previous role as James Bond in this story, but it’s not necessary to be a fan of 007 or even to have seen his movies.

His ex-wife Kate (Emma Thompson) has also grown older, and is suffering the first pangs of being an empty nester. Their geeky son is already at university, their daughter about to depart for her own studies. I could empathise quite strongly with her mixed feelings of pride and misery as she watches her daughter drive away. Their good friends and neighbours, Jerry and Penelope (Timothy Spall and Celia Imrie) try to encourage Kate to meet someone new. Although she’s not particularly keen, she is determined to make an effort.

Then disaster strikes Richard’s business, and he turns to his ex-wife. From this point the plot starts to become increasingly surreal - at times, very silly - with the kind of slapstick humour that doesn’t usually appeal to me at all. But somehow it works. The script is amusing, the timing perfect, and the little digs at James Bond (even I know he’s the one who generally organises car chases…) add to the enjoyment.

It’s not the greatest film I’ve ever seen, but it was undoubtedly entertaining and kept us interested from the start. Emma Thompson is particularly good. The ending is somewhat predictable but left us with a happy-ever-after feeling that perhaps life isn’t as bad as it’s often portrayed.

I thought that the rating of 12 (PG-13 in the US) was about right. There was some minor bad language, and one or two instances of ‘strong’ language which weren’t too obvious. There were hints of bedroom scenes but nothing explicit, and some brief implied nudity that was oddly amusing.

I think one has to be in the right mood for this kind of film. Don’t expect anything thought-provoking or deep, and accept the silliness for an attempt to entertain.

There are no real extras on the DVD. There are some interviews with the main cast but they were, frankly, rather dull and we gave up watching them after a few minutes.

Recommended if you want something light-hearted and don’t mind silliness and low-key slapstick.

Review copyright 2015 Sue's DVD Reviews

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel)

(Amazon UK link)

We weren’t quite sure what to expect from this, but it came highly recommended by various people - and since it featured both Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, as well as some other top names, we thought it would be worth seeing. All I knew was that several people set off for a retirement home in India, and found that it wasn’t quite what they were expecting...

The start of the film introduces us to the seven people who all end up travelling to the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Judi Dench plays Evelyn, who has recently been widowed and really doesn’t know what to do with her life, or how she can afford to keep going. Maggie Smith plays Muriel, a woman who urgently needs a hip transplant, but does not want to have to wait several months for the NHS. She is very bigoted, so is not at all impressed with the idea of travelling to India for a quicker operation, but reluctantly agrees to it.

Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton play Douglas and Jean, a married couple who are just retired, and really don’t know what they want. Jean is discontented, not wanting to settle down in a small flat, but not remotely interested in anything in India either. Douglas seems endlessly patient, but gets frustrated by her constant negativity.

More forgettable are Madge (Celia Imrie), Norman (Ronald Pickup) and Graham (Tom Wilkinson). Madge wants a wealthy husband, Norman wants a woman - any woman, but probably not Madge - and Graham is returning to India to catch up with his past; he lived there for a while as a young man.

We get to know each of these characters briefly in their homes and work environments; each of them finds the advert for the hotel, purporting to be a new and wonderful retirement home. Not all their travel arrangements go smoothly, but they eventually arrive... to find a young and cheerful host called Sonny (brilliantly played by Dev Patel) who somehow finds a reason - or excuse - for every one of the hotel’s deficiencies. And there are many... it needs major renovation and upgrading, and is a far remove from the wonderful, up-to-date residence that was advertised...

There’s a lot of humour in this film, and also some very moving moments. One or two parts are unexpectedly poignant, and much is thought-provoking. Criticisms have been made that the story is demeaning to India... yet the country is displayed in its colourful, chaotic glory; it’s the stuck-in-a-rut lifestyles and expectations of the Brits that are more caricatured.

There isn’t a great deal of plot, but we enjoyed it very much. Not that one necessarily wants to think about retirement or growing old, but somehow that isn’t the main focus. Some of the hotel’s residents gain a new lease of life as they discover something - or someone - new.

Judi Dench is excellent, as always, but in my view Maggie Smith is the real star, transforming from an irritable old lady to someone observing everything that goes on, eventually taking on a very important role and looking twenty years younger. Dev Patel is also superb - and the whole was a great family movie.

Rated 12, probably because of a few instances of minor bad language and the racist inferences made in the early part of the film. Unlikely to be of much interest to anyone under the age of about 12 anyway.

Definitely recommended.

Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews