Film Reviews: 'Seeking A Friend' in 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'

I saw these two films recently, Seeking A Friend For The End of The World starring Keira Knightley and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Judi Dench and . Both films with long titles (could've been combined together and would've made a good and interesting combo one title of a movie: Seeking A Friend In The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or Seeking A Friend in Marigold Hotel...with all 3 lovely ladies: Keira Knightley, Dame Judi Dench, and Penelope Wilton starring on it, lol), both had comedy in their films, and starring 3 very familiar P&P actors. But these two films are completely different and appeal to different audiences. One, I enjoyed watching and the other was so and so...

Read part of my reviews of Seeking A Friend and Marigold Hotel films below...

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) 

starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, and Dev Patel

Watch the trailer for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
(source: BlockbusterUK)

Synopsis

For a desperate group of English pensioners (Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Penelope Wilton, Celia Imrie and Ronald Pickup), retirement takes an unconventional turn when they abandon their homeland, enticed by advertisements for THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, a seemingly luxurious sanctuary for "the elderly and beautiful" in Jaipur, India. On arrival, they discover that the hotel falls somewhat short of the romantic idyll promised in the brochure, but they are gradually won over by the ever-optimistic young manager Sonny (Dev Patel), and tentatively embark on a new adventure, finding that life can begin again when you let go of the past.

I saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel recently and it was pretty good. At least I thought it was as I'd enjoyed watching it...me and my mother did, actually.

Great ensemble cast with Britain's finest and very talented vets such as familiar faces Judi Dench (as Evelyn), Maggie Smith (as Muriel), Penelope Wilton (as Jean), Bill Nighy (as Douglas), Tom Wilkinson (as Graham), Celia Imrie (as Madge), and up and comer Dev Patel (from Slumdog Millionaire...as Sonny).

Based on the novel These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach (screen writer of Joe Wright's first feature film, Pride & Prejudice), this film version was about these group of British retirees, who traveled to India to take up residence in what they believed was a newly restored hotel. Only to find out it was actually less luxurious than its advertisements...talk about false advertising, lol. The retirees eventually settled in and as the film progressed, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in unexpected ways. Very interesting premise and storyline. 

There were a couple funny and memorable lines from the film that stayed with me long after the film ended...
"If I cannot pronounced it. I don't want to eat it." (as said by Maggie Smith's character Muriel...LOL!) and "Everything will be alright at the end. If it's not alright, then it's not the end." (as said by Dev Patel's character Sonny) So true! Love both lines, lol.

Read my full Film Review: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

And my review of...

Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World (2012)
starring Steve Carell, Keira Knightley

Watch the trailer below...

(source: movieclipsTRAILERS)

Synopsis

As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan.

I must admit I watched this film mainly because I'm a fan of Keira Knightley. I'm a fan of hers and I love watching most of her period films (ie. Pride & Prejudice - my all-time favorite!, The Duchess, Doctor Zhivago [2002], Atonement, and The Edge of Love to name a few...Looking forward to seeing her in the upcoming Anna Karenina film!) and two of her rom-com/non-period films (ie. Bend It Like Beckham and Love Actually). I thought seeing her in this this film was going to be really good and something different from her and her often typical period films (though I've seen her in other modern setting type of films such as Last Night and London Boulevard recently, but those films were kind of mediocre...even though she did well on both...but I wasn't really into those films) and after seeing the trailer (which oddly, I quite liked watching more than the whole movie) for this movie, I thought it looked interesting and funny. Not too mentioned, I like Steve Carell too. But I guess I expected too much, which often leads me into disappointment.

This film was by no means the worst film I've seen nor it was great either. It was just okay. It didn't really held my attention that much as it was rather slow, kinda boring, long, sad, and depressing for me to watch especially with the characters waiting and expecting for "the end of the world" to come toward the later part of the film. I guess the apocalyptic part of it was just not my cup of tea! I mean, this was a nice, well-written movie...and something different than the usual rom-com movies. It was just not the movie I would say I loved and enjoyed watching a lot even with Keira Knightley on it...

Read my full Film Review: Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World