From the trailers this seemed to be aimed squarely at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel older cinema goer market. With its stalwart cast and light-hearted trailer, I assumed it would be well-acted but utterly disposable, but it turned out to be more than that.
Imelda Staunton stars as Sandra, a snobbish upper-middle-class woman looking forward to spending her retirement years with husband Mike (John Sessions). However, when she discovers Mike has been having an affair, she leaves him, but with nowhere else to go, she is forced to move in with her free wheeling bohemian sister, Bif (Celia Imrie) in her council flat. Over time, her attitude thaws and she begins to have feelings for Biff’s friend Charlie (Timothy Spall).
So, the synopsis seems to back up my assumption and there are plenty of comic moments, many of which hit the mark. The cast is impressive as it sounds with Staunton showing again that when she is given the chance in a leading role she is a tremendous actor.
What surprised me were how powerful some of the subplots were, particularly the one involving Charlie’s wife suffering from Alzheimer’s. That part of the story is beautifully handled and Spall is, once again, superb. There is one moment where he folds his wife’s scarf where he conveys more in that action and his expression that most actors could in a tearful speech.
The film certainly has some flaws – a diversion to Rome is unnecessary and the storyline involving Biff’s health is far too predictable – but overall, it is one that should appeal to a wider group of people than its target audience.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10