The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Second is not good enough.

While it was a joy just to see these fine British actors onscreen in their charming roles from the original The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), the sequel offers zero of the inspirations found in the original film.

At best, the new film’s plot mirrors an episode of The Love Boat. Character’s stories are re-introduced, broken up and put back together with the time and care given to a 1980’s TV show.

Unfortunately for those of us fond of the first one, this is a painfully meandering two hours and two minutes long film. I believe those two minutes are the amount of time that the characters actually are in the hotel. The film is obsessed with moving. Everyone is constantly in a cab, motorcycles, trams, planes, convertibles, a new hotel, a convention hotel — or wandering aimlessly around the market. I’m not sure where all these characters were going; I just wish the film went somewhere.

Simply put: The title says it all. If you simply must go despite anything I say, I understand. You’ll enjoy zingers by Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench — plus the fun of a totally disruptive music video sequence.

Award potential: No awards for Second Best.

The ten buck review: Not worth ten bucks.