Life after old age

Set in the comfort zone that lies blissfully between retirement and the inevitable, this gracious coming-of-age story focuses on a group of elderly folk who set their sights on the Best Marigold Hotel, a retirement paradise for the "old" and "beautiful" in India, a tempting jewel for foreigners.

Squalor and poverty

When they discover that paradise is not a slice of heaven, but the reality of a Third-World country where squalor and poverty are the order of the day, their dreams soon crumble as they are confronted by a world that forces them to re-evaluate their own lives, and those living under less fortunate circumstances.

It's a humourous and poignant tale told by a widow (a magnificently touching performance by Dame Judi Dench), who finds new meaning in love, friendship and the human condition in this new world ruled by "noise and colour".

Dench is superb in her gentle portrayal of a woman who has almost everything until the death of her husband, then finds a glorious rebirth in a world in which there is no material wealth, but an abundance of spiritual richness.

The emancipation of diverse characters

The film deals with the emancipation of seven diverse characters from different backgrounds and social standings, who are trapped in uncompromising circumstances.

Tom Wilkinson is fantastic as the disillusioned High Court Judge who is imprisoned by guilt and returns to India to find closure; Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton are great as the quarrelsome couple who need to make peace with the differences that cause conflict; Ronald Pickup is hilarious as the studly old geezer desperate to rejuvenate his sexuality; Celia Imrie is equally amusing as the older woman in search of new and exciting wealthy lovers; Maggie Smith is in top form as the nagging old bat imprisoned by prejudice; and Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel is sensational as the young Indian entrepreneur who is caught in web of white lies, traditional restraints and financial ruin.

The wonder of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel lies in its honesty that jumps off the pages of Ol Parker's witty screenplay and encapsulates audiences with its vibrant characters.

If you are looking for a film that you can escape into, this nostalgic journey into the heart and soul of youthful pensioners guarantees first-rate and stimulating entertainment. It's a story anyone can easily relate to, reminisce about and share with laughter and tears.

Rating 5/5

Behind the scenes

When the first seven brave souls arrive at India's debut retirement hotel catering to British citizens in their autumn years, it is nothing like what was advertised. The manager promises them a transformation, but it is not just the building that is transformed in John Madden's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Their adventures began in the mind of British novelist Deborah Moggach, who imagined a group of cash-strapped pensioners who find themselves "outsourced" to India, each willing (or forced) to try relocating to an exotic locale at a fraction of the usual retirement price. The book won praise for its characters who, at an age when most people are slowing down and staying close to home, embark on the journey of a lifetime.

Screenwriter Ol Parker took that scenario and ran with it. "I saw an opportunity to create a romantic comedy for a different generation, centred on people in their 60s and 70s," says Parker, who last wrote and directed the 20-something romantic comedy Imagine Me & You. "What was so appealing to me is that as we get older, we tend to not stray out of our comfort zones. I loved the idea of taking this group of people and putting them somewhere where they are completely out of their element. I also enjoyed the idea of a love story about men and women who have had a whole lifetime of experience." Read more at www.writingstudio.co.za/page3996.html