STREAM ANYTIME with Prime Video from $14.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Saturday, December 31 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon. Order within 9 hrs 6 mins

Arrives after Christmas. Need a gift sooner? Send an Amazon Gift Card instantly by email or SMS.

Only 13 left in stock - order soon.

[{"displayPrice":"$10.97","priceAmount":10.97,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"10","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"97","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"uWEuYFba6v9IAxl8%2BMQWEQLhAu2ADzmOmXxygb3F%2BDJ1xEhsj4uFmHq6ElGoWvLolA5C%2Fls0PYZxEZww3qsEFIfasnOBfmLhx1NMuPJ5PBKAvyuuXGM8SSK%2FRwh2V7SZe%2FeFFQlNGiR3%2FU3hfortyuSVrzI1%2BVN5ZFaAaO3%2BH%2BK9eKSdV668lA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW"},{"displayPrice":"$6.38","priceAmount":6.38,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"6","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"38","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"ch9wZNxGjSnjMBC14snWkXbcclCBLhtDyTCigNTiL9xzRORo1pCodOYuvnw%2F%2Bf863IWR0%2FFnZ%2FS2gBAlqpRhk7oJaabqBhVLE33qC9ET8xeIs0faH%2FgfAXa6EEGiGjj%2B2tS0B2Jg%2Fd0v7ObiLC3QeTfjFZm9aqUYDe7uwZ2EKD7inPKNOWLMGgL8MDltAOPK","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED"}]

$$10.97 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Secure transaction

Ships from

Amazon

Sold by

Stephs Closet

Details

Ships from

Amazon

Sold by

Stephs Closet

Return policy: Eligible for Refund or Replacement

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Comes in original case with outer artwork. Disc/Discs work but may have some scratches present. Ships direct from Amazon!

FREE delivery Tuesday, January 3 if you spend $25 on items shipped by Amazon

Arrives after Christmas. Need a gift sooner? Send an Amazon Gift Card instantly by email or SMS.

Select delivery location

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$10.97 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by Opti Sales and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$10.97
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: The Amazing Express

Added

Not added

$10.97
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Shopcents

Added

Not added

$19.99
FREE Shipping on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Amazon.com

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available
To view this video download Flash Player

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel [Blu-ray]

Maggie Smith (Actor), Bill Nighy (Actor), John Madden (Director) Rated:

Format: Blu-ray

17,027 ratings

IMDb7.2/10.0

$10.97

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

Additional Blu-ray options

Edition

Discs

Price

New from

Used from

Blu-ray
September 18, 2012

"Please retry"

—

$10.97

$6.98

$2.08

Blu-ray

"Please retry"

—

$9.43

$5.88

$2.93

Blu-ray

"Please retry"

—

$14.98

$10.00

$4.00

Watch Instantly with

Rent

Buy

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

$3.99

$14.99

Enhance your purchase

Genre	Romance
Format	AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Contributor	John Madden, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith
Language	English
Runtime	2 hours and 4 minutes

Available at a lower price from other sellers that may not offer free Prime shipping.

Frequently bought together

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

by Maggie Smith Blu-ray
$10.97
Only 13 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Stephs Closet and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Get it as soon as Saturday, Dec 31
by Bill Nighy Blu-ray
$9.74
In Stock.
Sold by Media Discounts and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jan 4
by Hallstrom, Lasse Blu-ray
$8.94
In Stock.
Sold by Outlet Promotions and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
Get it as soon as Wednesday, Jan 4

Bill Nighy
10,618
Blu-ray
36 offers from $2.49
Hallstrom, Lasse
8,324
Blu-ray
65 offers from $2.49
Helen Mirren
3,150
DVD
100 offers from $1.49
Timothy Bateson
2,060
DVD
139 offers from $1.62
Judi Dench
5,907
Blu-ray
40 offers from $2.34
Bill Nighy
43
DVD-R
1 offer from $18.00

Product Description

The film follows a group of British retirees who decide to "outsource" their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered with visions of a life of leisure; they arrive to find the palace a shell of its former self. Though the new environment is less luxurious than imagined; they are forever transformed by their shared experiences; discovering that life and love can begin again when you let go of the past.

Product details

Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 2.35:1
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.6 x 5.3 x 6.8 inches; 2.4 Ounces
Item model number ‏ : ‎ FOXBR2277229
Director ‏ : ‎ John Madden
Media Format ‏ : ‎ AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 4 minutes
Release date ‏ : ‎ September 18, 2012
Actors ‏ : ‎ Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy
Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English, French, Spanish
Studio ‏ : ‎ Fox Searchlight
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B005S9EJ46

Best Sellers Rank: #50,725 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
- #494 in Romance (Movies & TV)
- #2,763 in Comedy (Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews:
17,027 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		82%
4 star		12%
3 star		3%
2 star		1%
1 star		2%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all customer images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Fun

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 1, 2022

Verified Purchase

This was a fun movie. Watched it on my sister's recommendation and was not disappointed. The characters were fun but some I felt could have been developed better, but given that there are several different stories going on at once, I can see how it may be tough to do that. it is definitely a fun ensemble of cast members who make for a fun movie to watch.

Helpful

"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end."

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 24, 2012

Verified Purchase

After seeing the film the week of its release, I waited for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel to become available on DVD, and had to place an order for this true gem. My immediate reaction had been that this is a movie that I wanted to see over and again, if just for the pure pleasure in seeing people who can prove that it's good to be over sixty and be able to explore new horizons. For me, this is unquestionably one of the best movies of the year.

Director John Madden's comedy about English retirees in India is a fascinating mix of both the familiar and the exotic. Ol Parker's screenplay is an adaptation from British author Deborah Moggach's book These Foolish Things (2004), and the casting is true perfection. It begins in the UK with brief sketches of seven British senior citizens, which sets the stage.

We find Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) on the phone in her London flat, trying to communicate with a robotic operator at an Indian call center. She's a recent widow and is forced to sell her home after learning that her deceased husband had misused their life savings. It's Evelyn's blog entries, read aloud as narrative, that set the film's timeline.

There's Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith), a xenophobic, crabby shrew, a never-married retired housekeeper bound to her wheelchair. She needs a hip replacement, and makes the trip because in India the surgery will be cheaper and doesn't require a month long wait. Douglas and Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) are an argumentative couple that sank their nest egg into their daughter's failing start-up company.

Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) and Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) are two singles looking for a change from the older British dating scene. Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) is a retired judge with a guilty past who grew up in Jaipur, and is returning there for the first time since his youth.

All seven are drawn to "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the elderly and beautiful" in Jaipur, India, based on an advertisement inspired more by the proprietors' hopes than on reality. The seven seniors travel to India, and as we find out, the hotel is anything but the Best or Exotic.

It's here at the Marigold Hotel that they meet their host, Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel), a naïve, completely disorganized yet highly enthusiastic young man. Must admit that I had to stifle my laughter in the theater and again when viewing the DVD, watching Sonny trying to explain to his guests that the hotel has no working telephones and that some rooms are without doors, something that had been neglected ahead of time. He is the film's comic lead, and his often-hyperactive performance often borders on pure slapstick. His exclamation was perfect:

"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end."

Sonny is under extreme pressure from his arrogant, domineering mother to give up the hotel as a lost cause and go along with an arranged marriage in Delhi. But complicating matters, Sonny is in love with Sunaina (Tena Desae), a call center worker. It gets interesting (and a bit ironic) when Evelyn takes a job in the call center instructing the workers how to speak to British people on the phone... classic Judi Dench.

Watching Muriel's gradual transformation from a racist and crabby shrew to a caring and sensitive woman may have stretched credibility a bit. But considering the never-married housekeeper background of her character, it's something that few besides Maggie Smith could pull off so well.

The overall plot is beautifully interwoven with the subplots, and viewers will be treated to some mild surprises. Without dropping any spoilers, watch for Douglas (Bill Nighy) having a blast exploring the nearby temples and such, yet that does have its results with his wife. The antics of Madge (Celia Imrie) and Norman (Ronald Pickup) in their quests for romance are hilarious in parts. Graham (Tom Wilkinson) offers a touching performance on many levels as he proceeds with his personal quest.

If there was any disappointment at all for this viewer, it was the hope that somewhere and at some point, Bill Nighy would break out of playing his role as a browbeaten husband and burst into that mad aging rocker that he did to well in Love Actually , but we can't have everything.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is lively, irreverent and enjoyable when Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton are doing their crabby senior citizen performances. It produces some real laughs and offers truly brilliant performances from a highly experienced cast. Peppered with its pungent illustration of Jaipur's jam-packed streets and the rest of the scenery, it's a heartwarming, captivating and even inspiring leisurely paced comedy. Its optimism and claim that it's never too late to leave your comfort zone and explore new horizons makes it a joy for all except diehard gerontophobics.

9/24/2012

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

ShaggyDog

Not bad

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 26, 2022

Verified Purchase

Sorta depressing initially.
Too much over acting by Dev Patel.

Helpful

Lil Peach

Finally watched it and SO glad I did!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 18, 2022

Verified Purchase

Sweet, funny, great cast and beautiful locations, mixed in with many real life, personal and societal issues. Without ever preaching or reaching to make a point, it reveals and examines things like growing older in a world that focuses on the young, and many kinds of stereotyping, whether based on family history, income, age, education, race, religion. For me it was unexpectedly excellent. It's been days since I watched it and I'm rather wistfully smiling thinking about now.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Fun love story with a backdrop of India

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 29, 2022

Verified Purchase

An interesting mixture of British and Indian cultures, sometimes clashing and sometimes resonating. All in good fun.

Helpful

Christine D. Smith

Received in a decent time frame.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

I watched it. It was a DVD.

Helpful

Brenda

Beautifully Written Story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 2, 2022

Verified Purchase

The acting is brilliant, the story is beautifully written and it is absolutely wonderful to see all of these excellent and mature actors, ply their trade on the screen. It was engaging and the cinematography was so stunning! Just a gem of a film. Well worth the time to watch.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

james bryant

Watch it!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 31, 2022

Verified Purchase

Fricking fantastic!

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

cora

Crowd Pleaser with Indian Sunshine, Virant Colours and an Amazing All Star Cast

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 9, 2018

Verified Purchase

This is one of those ultimate feel good films that never fails to put me in a good mood. If you haven't already seen it: go on and buy the DVD, you won't regret it. If you've already seen it and, like me, want to have a copy to view whenever you're in the mood for it or need a bit of sunshine and fluffy escapism - likewise.

The setting in India with its vibrant colours and endless sunshine and even the chaotic traffic never fails to cheer me up. Add to that the stellar cast including so many greats of British stage and screen acting (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, scene stealer extraordinaire Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton) alongside the supremely likable Dev Patel as the ever optimistic owner of the hotel of the title, and you're on to a sure winner. Love the film, can't recommend it highly enough.

The DVD has subtitles for those who may need them and includes the Behind the Story: Lights, Colours and Smiles featurette by way of bonus material.

4 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL [2012] [Blu-ray + Digital Copy]

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 18, 2014

Verified Purchase

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL [2012] [Blu-ray + Digital Copy] The Feel Good Film Of The Year! Hilarious and Moving . . . A Joy To Watch! Seven Tickets to India, and Your Reservations for an Adventure!

An award-winning film, with an all-star cast, led by Dame Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Dame Maggie Smith, who lights up this "buoyant comedy laced with genuine emotion" from the director of ‘Shakespeare in Love.’ When seven cash-strapped seniors decide to "outsource" their retirement to a resort in far-off India, friendship and romance blossom in the most unexpected ways. Smart, life-affirming and genuinely charming, ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ is a "true classic that reminds us that it's never too late to find love and a fresh beginning at any age."

FILM FACT: At the Cinema Scapes Awards, organised on the sidelines of the 2012 Mumbai Film Festival, the film was honoured with the Best International Film accolade for showcasing Indian filming locations. The film and its cast earned five nominations from the Film Awards. Here are the following Nominations: ALFS Awards for Dame Judi Dench. British Academy Film Awards: BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film for John Madden. British Independent Film Awards: Best British Independent Film for Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin. Best Director of a British Independent Film for John Madden. Best Performance by an Actress in a British Independent Film for Dame Judi Dench. Best Supporting Actor for Tom Wilkinson. Best Supporting Actress for Dame Maggie Smith. Critics' Choice Awards for Best Cast [Ensemble]. Costume Designers Guild Awards: Excellence in Contemporary Film for Louise Stjernsward.

Cast: Dame Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Patrick Pearson, Hugh Dickson, James Rawlings, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Dame Maggie Smith, Liza Tarbuck, Paul Bhattacharjee, Lucy Robinson, Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie, Simon Wilson, Sara Stewart, Ramona Marquez, Raoul Marquez, Glen Davies, Jay Villiers, Paul Bentall, Louise Brealey, Catherine Terris, Richard Cubison, Josh Cohen, Josh Cole, Dev Patel, Bhuvnesh Shetty, Honey Chhaya, Shubraojyoti Barat, N. Kumar, Hem Acharya, Kailash Vijay, Tina Desai, Sid Makkar, Seema Azmi, Vishnu Sharma, Lillete Dubey, Denzil Smith, Jagdish Sharma, Sandeep Lele, Diana Hardcastle, Neeraj Kadela, S.N. Purohit, Shiv Palawat, Mahesh Udeshi, Neena Kulkarni, Rajendra Gupta, Gagan Mishra and A.R. Rama

Director: John Madden

Producer: Graham Broadbent and Peter Czernin

Screenplay: Ol Parker and “These Foolish Things” by Deborah Moggach (novel)

Composer: Thomas Newman

Cinematography: Ben Davis

Video Resolution: 1080p

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio; French: 5.1 DTS-HD, Spanish: 5.1 DTS-HD, German: 5.1 DTS-HD, Italian: 5.1 DTS-HD and Russian: 5.1 DTS-HD

Subtitles: English, English SDH, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Turkish and Ukrainian

Running Time: 118 minutes

Region: All Regions

Number of discs: 1

Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: Dame Judi Dench leads an all-star cast in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a sweet-natured film about British seniors in India, which falls down on some wince-inducing clichés and British retirees travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel. Less luxurious than its advertisements, the Marigold Hotel nevertheless slowly begins to charm in very unexpected and lovely ways, as we find out about a disparate group of elderly Londoners find themselves ready to start a new phase of their lives and after reading a brochure for “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” in Jaipur which caters to the elderly, they all book passage especially since the hotel also pays for their travel expenses there. Newly widowed Evelyn Greenslade [Dame Judi Dench] is on her own for the first time in forty-one years; high judge Graham Dashwood [Tom Wilkinson] abruptly quits his firm to return to the place where he spent his memorable early years; Douglas [Bill Nighy] and Jean [Penelope Wilton] Ainslie can’t afford to live on pensions in England but hope a fresh start in India will mend their lifeless marriage; Madge Hardcastle [Celia Imrie] is on the lookout for rich, available men; her male counterpart Norman Cousins [Ronald Pickup] wants desperately to recapture some of his lost youth; and bigoted Muriel Donnelly [Dame Maggie Smith] needs a hip replacement but can only afford one performed in India and of course as usual, gets all the best lines. Greeted by the affable but hopelessly over-his-head proprietor Sonny Kapoor [Dev Patel], the Britishers are shocked by their less than luxurious accommodations but are soon off on their own individual adventures.

Ol Parker’s screenplay, which was based on the novel by Deborah Moggach, and is full of nice predictable characters and situations, but its familiarity doesn’t really matter when in the hands of such a talented cast of star character actors, and the Jaipur location adds colour and vivacity to their own discoveries about the country and about themselves. The film is barely long enough to give each of these marvellous talents their own individual stories, and some, like Tom Wilkinson’s Graham and his sad search for a lost love or Bill Nighy’s Douglas and his yearning for Evelyn, could have used more fleshing out to have increased the audience’s emotional responses to their ultimate fates. Even so, the film delivers in spades as director John Madden manages just enough slice-of-life touches to buoy up the screenplay’s expected twists and turns. At first, the younger generation’s subplot, represented by Dev Patel’s Sonny and his sweetheart Sunaina played by Tena Desae, and seems trite and uninteresting, but even its banal resolution is rather joyous and fitting in context of the other stories going on around it. Throughout, director John Madden instils a joyous sense of discovery about the movie that makes one eager to jump from story to story to see how each is progressing.

How can one single out any of these great actors for individual praise? Yes, Dame Maggie Smith as usual steals every scene she’s given, and her character’s transformation as she finds a purpose for her life is truly the film’s most rewarding story, but that’s not to slight Judi Dench’s no nonsense handling of Evelyn’s first taste of rather terrifying freedom or Penelope Wilton’s continual harangues about the unsightly conditions and the deplorable differences between India and England. The men are wonderful, too, as Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy individually find some peace for their lives. Among this celebrated company, Dev Patel might seem a bit overwhelmed at the stars around him, but he gives an ingratiating performance that will likely be much admired.

Blu-ray Video Quality – The film’s 2.35:1 theatrical aspect ratio is faithfully reproduced in a stunning 1080p encoded image transfer. It’s an absolutely scrumptious transfer filled with gorgeous colour that’s deeply saturated but never overdone, and contrast that has been brought to perfection. Flesh tones look natural and are extremely appealing. There really isn’t anything negative to say about this sterling transfer.

Blu-ray Audio Quality – The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio sound mix gives a full rich and awesome aural experience to the listener especially for a film with somewhat small intentions. There are several wonderfully entertaining uses of ambient sounds in the fronts and rears, especially finding birds flocking and flittering in one of the hotel rooms is a great aural joke, and care has been taken to give the entire soundstage the feel of crowded, busy Indian streets. Dialogue is always easily discernible and is mostly located in the centre channel, plus there’s a bit of directional dialogue near the end of the film.

Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:

Special Feature: Welcome to the “Real” Best Exotic Marigold Hotel [2012] [1080p] [3:00] Watching John Madden describe how they cast the hotel and hear the actors explain how great a location it was to shoot at. We also hear brief interviews with writer Ol Parker, and stars Dev Patel, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, and Ronald Pickup about their characters and how they fit into the films story.

Special Feature: Casting Legends [2012] [1080p] [4:00] The director and the younger cast kick off this feature by explaining how great it was to work with such well-known and seasoned theatrical cast, followed by the older actors praising the relatively new actors. It also allows Dev Patel to enthuse about the living legends in the cast, seconded by director John Madden and writer Ol Parker. Dame Judi Dench praises Dev Patel in return and also gives credit to John Madden’s direction in this 4minute piece.

Special Feature: Trekking to India: Life is Never the Same [2012] [1080p] [3:00] No, this feature which is not about how the cast and crew made their way to India, it quickly features the actors explaining the beautiful culture shock of going to India for the first time. We also get featured stars like Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith praising production designer Alan Macdonald who took the dilapidated hotel in Jaipur and added touches to make it another character in the fantastic brilliant film.

Special Feature: Behind the Story: Lights, Colours and Smiles [2012] [1080p] [3:00] Let the footage begin. This one analytically breaks down the themes of the film via cast and crew interviews and clips. It also features brief interviews with director John Madden, writer Ol Parker, and stars Dev Patel, Bill Nighy, Celia Imrie, and Ronald Pickup about their characters and how they fit into the films story.

Special Feature: Tuk Tuk Travels [2012] [1080p] [1:00] No, this feature is not filled with anecdotes about the cast and crew's Tuk Tuk travels while in India for the 2012 film. Instead, it features the director briefly explaining how efficient the Tuk Tuks are in the packed Indian city streets.

Finally, there is something satisfying and refreshing about little films like this, that don't focus so much on a complex plot, but tell an emotional and genuinely heartfelt story about likeable characters that are easy to connect with. That's exactly the type of film that 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' is. You will not only walk away entertained with a warm smile on your face, but you'll actually have an upbeat and positive perspective on life. I dare say that no geriatric comedy has ever been this entertaining. The video and audio qualities of this release are strong, but could have used a little push toward perfection. Sadly, it falls victim to the Indie Gods and only features a handful of very generic extras. Luckily, experiencing the movie itself is more than satisfying enough. Special features would not have been a crucial selling point on a film like this. If you need a breath of fresh, so look no further, 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' is in my mind the most have Blu-ray as it is such a beautiful fantastic film that is character driven, which makes for a totally brilliant film and was robbed of any kind of OSCAR® for everyone involved with this film. A lovely, life-affirming film that proves it’s never too late for a fresh start in life. Very Highly Recommended!

Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom

3 people found this helpful

Dave

A wonderful film!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

A group of cash-strapped Brit pensioners travel to a retirement hotel in Jaipur, only to discover that it is not the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel of the brochure! The film has an absolutely stellar cast, and even the supporting actors are all excellent - The boys Tom Wilkinson plays cricket with, and the lovely (untouchable) girl who invites the racist Maggie Smith back to her home were very natural, and made the story much more enjoyable. Each of the characters had their own storyline, and the way they wove together or unravelled again was excellent. There were moments of great sadness, (Tom Wilkinson's character - I won't spoil it for others), and moments that were genuinely funny (Lots of them!). Shot against a background of noisy and colourful Indian streets, shops, temples, and crowds, with an absolutely fantastic soundtrack, this film was a real treat - and with a mostly satisfactory ending for all involved. There was, however, one scene that almost made me choke with laughter (Don't read past this point, if you want to be surprised!) Ronald Pickup's character, a lonely old man in his seventies who doesn't want to give up on life and love, has a date with an attractive older woman he has met at a rather posh club with its roots dating back to the days of The Raj. As he departs for his hot date, Celia Imrie asks him if sex is a wise activity for an elderly person to engage in. His reply - Well, if she dies, she dies! I nearly died at that one, too! This is a lovely film, full of humour, some sadness and pathos, but is mostly happy and uplifting, with sumptuous Indian scenery, colourful characters, warmth, an excellent story, and a marvellous soundtrack. - Ant the finest cast of actors, famous and unknown, to be assembled in a British film for a long time. I am sure that everybody will love this film as much as we did! Buy it, and enjoy it!

One person found this helpful

Tim Kidner

Thoroughly Enjoyable...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 22, 2013

Verified Purchase

I lent my DVD to friends who are a lot closer to the age of the characters - and cast - presumably the target audience than I am and they were distinctly underwhelmed. They actually asked 'what happened. What was it all about. What was its point?'.

The answers to all these is 'not a lot'. It doesn't need to, It's not meant to, rather like (I guess) life in the autumn years where things get taken as they come. A love of cinema - and British cinema at that, goes a long way too - these actors are more than the cream of 'our' acting crop, they become 'our' relatives and eventually, through the unfolding of the film, our friends too.

I love the stereotyped cliches here - because they are real - we all know of elderly relatives who would (or like to, if they dared!) say, as Dame Maggie Smith does "if I can't pronounce it, I won't eat it!" All the mild racist slants get suitable and just reprimands, which, if anything, are even more funny.

Yet, it's not all comedy. This is a multi-faceted human drama that has many angles and a few surprises - never rushed (at 2 hours, many say it's too long and slow)it explores these avenues at the story's pace, not ours.

The script is a gem, too - natural and well written.

I won't cover the story itself as there are plenty who do. I would say that Best Exotic gets better the second time round. The critics seem to love it, but one asks whether that's because of who's in it. As an average but avid film-watcher I'd stay in the middle of that one - the cast seem to get on well with another (always helps!) and their acting is top-drawer. The inclusion of a now older lead actor in Danny Boyle's smash hit Slumdog Millionaire, as the young 'entrepeneur' trying to run the titular "Hotel" is both inspiring (he's engaging, witty and thoroughly enjoyable) and endearing, adding another touch of familiarity for us that 'know' our movies.

Not for everyone, though the advertising will certainly try to tell you otherwise and if you've doubts, rent it. It's also been on Sky Movies for a while now, so if you get those, you can catch it there.

One person found this helpful

Molly Davidson

Impressive and deeply thought provoking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

It is true that the actors did largely play to type. For example Bill Nighy the bumbling down-trodden husband, Maggie Smith the sharp tongue bitter older woman. But what wonderful acting. Yes, there are stereotypes in the film - the impoverished Indians, the imperious British stiff upper lipped white woman, but such characters do exist - isn't that the whole point of stereotypes? And I object to one reviewer who gave off about the character played by Maggie Smith as being racist. You could view her character as being racist because she did not want an Indian to treat her in the good old NHS but scratch beneath the surface and you had a miserably lonely older woman - another stereotype! You do have to stretch you imagination on occasion but that is what theatre is all about and it was wonderful theatre.
Do look out for the bird. It comes at an incredibly poignant point in the story of one of the characters and it was a master-stroke of imagery.
A well deserved five star and I look forwrd to the sequel which is being made now.
The best bit is when I was able to shriek and point at the screen saying "I was there" in one of the few shots of Jaipur. OK, not really the best bit but a highly enjoyable one-up-manship over my friends.
Buy it. Enjoy it again and again.

One person found this helpful

See all reviews

Other Sellers on Amazon

Image Unavailable

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel [Blu-ray]

Enhance your purchase

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Product Description

Product details

Videos

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries