Well…. kinda!
Yesterday I went to the movies in the afternoon. I went alone in search of a couple of hours of light colourful distraction, from another dull day of wet and windy weather. There was only one other person there for the showing of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I did not see the other patron, the cinema was dark when I entered. I did hear a deep cough at one stage and took it to be male.
We had two trailers for future movies:
Run All Night with Liam Neeson acting tough and beating up bad guys. Plenty of gore, blood & guns. Not my idea of entertainment by a long stretch.
Woman in Gold in which Helen Mirren is Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, who takes on the government to recover artwork that she believes rightfully belongs to her family. That one, I will add to my list for an outing.
Now to the main feature: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
I had read some very different reviews of the film. I always prefer to make up my own mind. I liked the cast list of Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, and Bill Nighy, Ronald Pickup, Diana Hardcastle, Dev Patel and Tina Desai who were joined this time round by Richard Gere.
It is a sequel with the same theme as the first (which I did enjoy), about a group of people of a certain age all taking a chance on a new experience and deciding that life is not over for them at 60, 70 or eighty!
As Celia Imrie said: “We’re all living longer now, and I feel more optimistic about what’s to come than ever now, and I think that’s what this film will give people hope for.”
Why shouldn’t it? We are constantly reminded that sixty is the new forty, if that is so, then eighty is the new sixty. I remember by father retiring from work at sixty five, at which point he decided his work was done, his life over, and it was a matter of waiting for death. He died at seventy, an old, old man.
I am catching up on the age that my father left us. I am in no hurry to go, I still have some living to do. The banter we had my Facebook post yesterday about the film gives an inkling.
Nick was not very impressed with the movie.
Emily told me to “Ignore Nick’s comment! It is perfect distraction, lovely cast (cue Richard Gere, yum), gorgeous scenery.”
Nick thought that Richard Gere didn’t have much of a part. He basically just stood around looking hot to trot.
Emily decided he (Richard Gere) was hot enough for her.
When I reported back after seeing the movie, Nick asked: “And was Richard Gere hot enough for you, Marie?”
You really want to know how I answered………?
“Nah, I like a little more spark!”