It's Franchise Time! "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)

Rated PG

Starring Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tina Desai, Celia Imrie, Tasmin Greig, Richard Gere,

Written and Directed by John Madden

The Story:

Sonny (Patel) returns with his sights set on marrying Sunaina (Imrie) and expanding the hotel to a second location. Naturally, before he can get the kind of funding to be backed by a chain, they need to send an undercover inspector to the hotel to see what the Exotic Marigold is like. However when two guests arrive (Greig & Gere) mistaken identity ensues and Sonny runs the risk of losing everything, including the woman he loves.

And really, this is Sonny's movie.

Where he was the heart that held the first (and superior) Exotic Marigold together by weaving in and out of the stories of the retirees that came to his hotel to spend their golden years, his story now takes center stage and the rest of the cast is given a little to do, but nowhere near the substance they enjoyed in the first film.

The biggest conundrum, you want Sonny to succeed in both the hotel and the wedding, so the conflict they have to foist onto the story seems almost eye roll worthy. Sonny is too likeable and Sunaina too sweet for them not to be together, so you never really worry that the wedding could fall apart.

The question is simply how will Sonny get the other hotel, and you'll probably figure it out before he does.

Not as good as the first, but not a bad revisit with some old (ha!) friends.

My advice though, never put the words "Second Best" in your movie title.

You're simply asking for trouble at that point.

Final Grade: B-