The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (Luke Ward-Wilkinson)

(Amazon UK link)

In the UK early in December last year, I was browsing in a charity shop when I found some Christmas films I had never heard of, costing one pound each. I checked the blurb on the back, and chose three of them. One of them was ‘The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey’, which we didn’t watch a year ago so waited until the 2023 Christmas season. We finally watched it last night. 

What a wonderful, heartwarming film it is. It’s set over 100 years ago, in the United States, so we were surprised to learn, seeing the credits at the end, that it was made in the UK. Moreover, the majority of the actors were British rather than American, which probably explains why some of the accents didn’t feel entirely authentic. 

But that’s my only (very minor) gripe with the film, which is beautifully portrayed, a mixture of poignancy and redemption, with a little low-key humour here and there in some of the interactions. The undoubted star of the film is a ten-year-old boy called Thomas (Luke Ward-Wilkinson) who lives in a city (I don’t think it’s stated which city) with his family who are evidently quite well off. His father has to go away to fight in World War I but writes a letter to Thomas, and promises to be back soon.

Then tragedy strikes; Thomas and his mother Susan (Joely Richardson) have to move to the country to stay with her sister Joan (Lia Williams). Thomas is not only heartbroken about his father, he must leave behind his grandfather (Ronald Pickup) and their beloved housekeeper Mrs Hickey (Jenny O’Hara). And almost worst of all, he loses his father’s carved Nativity set, which the two of them set up together every Christmas. 

Thomas is not happy in the country; one of the local boys taunts him, and he doesn’t much like having to feed chickens. He’s also a bit scared of a reclusive hermit living in a shack in the forest, a man called Jonathan Toomey (Tom Beringer). Mr Toomey is a skilled wood carver, but he arrived there out of the blue and nobody knows anything about him. So terrible rumours have arisen. But Thomas’s mother sees some of his work, and wonders if he might possibly carve a new Nativity set…

The scenery, the conversation and the sets are all beautifully done. The pace is excellent, and young Thomas is a typical grieving child, sometimes almost in tears, sometimes behaving like the lively young boy he used to be. He’s loyal, likeable and very confused. I could believe in him entirely, and empathised with his pain, and his longings, and his envy when other children’s fathers return from the war. 

Mr Toomey is also a very believable person; we, as viewers, know what has caused his hermit-like behaviour and dour attitude, as we see him imagining the past at the start of the film. His gradual thawing as he relates to Thomas and his mother works well, but the directors didn’t make the mistake of turning this into a romance or a ‘happy ever after’ story. There’s a positive outcome at the end, but the future is inconclusive. 

It’s hard to express how much we liked and appreciated this beautifully made film, one of the best Christmas films we’ve seen, and one which we certainly hope to see again in a few years. It’s suitable for all the family. The rating is U, which reflects the lack of anything ‘adult’.  There is one minor fight shown (but without any gore), and the initial theme is of war and tragedy, but there’s no bad language, nothing remotely sexual, and nothing really disturbing. 

Very highly recommended if you want an engrossing and moving Christmas film.  

Review copyright 2023 Sue's DVD Reviews

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

The Time of their Lives (Joan Collins, Pauline Collins)

(Amazon UK link)

This is another film which Amazon recommended to me, and which I thought sounded interesting. So I put ‘The Time of their Lives’ on my wishlist, and was given it for my birthday, earlier in the year. After a long trip out of Cyprus, where we didn’t see any DVDs at all, we decided to watch this one. We had no idea what it would be like, but the case proclaimed that it was a ‘hilarious feel-good film’. So it seemed like a good one to watch.

Joan Collins stars as Helen, a former film star, who now walks with a stick and has fallen on hard times. She looks glamorous in an exaggerated style, and is very demanding. A chance meeting with Priscilla (Pauline Collins - who I assume is not related to Joan Collins) leads to the two of them embarking on a journey to France. Helen wants to attend the funeral of someone she used to be close to. She also hopes for the opportunity to find some more work as an actress.

Priscilla is a far more interesting character than Helen, in my view. She’s in a rather depressing marriage, oppressed by her husband and a rather demanding adult daughter. Her decision to accompany Helen on her trip is made spontaneously, with some apprehension. She soon discovers that Helen is just as domineering as her husband - and artificial, too. I didn’t like Helen much, while feeling some sympathy for her as we gradually learn more about her history.

There are some quite poignant scenes once the two arrive in France, and we found the film, on the whole, more depressing than amusing. There are some light-hearted moments in the journey, admittedly, and an unlikely meeting with a millionaire but that leads to something quite shocking, and a dramatic turn in the story.

It’s hard to say much more without giving spoilers. There’s really not much plot, as the film is character-based primarily. It focuses on the contrast between the two women and their gradual realisation that they do have some things in common. I never quite believed in their growing friendship, however; Helen is too self-centred, it seemed to me, ever to be a real friend to anyone.

Having said all that, the film is very well made, with some pleasant scenery, and we could believe in most of the characters. The more amusing scenes were nicely done with good timing, and the poignant ones made a clear contrast. We were quite engrossed in the storyline and a bit surprised when it ended quite abruptly.

Had it been billed as a drama, or a bittersweet story of friendship, we might have appreciated it more. It wasn’t really a feel-good film at all, in our view, and certainly not ‘hilarious’. But it wasn’t a bad film, and we may well watch it again one day.

The rating is 12A and I think that's probably right. There's very little bad language, some non-frontal nudity, and the end of a clearly intimate scene. But since the film features women whom I assume were meant to be in their sixties, it's unlikely to appeal to children or teenagers.

Review copyright 2018 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 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