Cinema Babble: What you think about this flick probably depends on your age

The Flick: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

The Peeps: Bill Nighy, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel, etc.

The Dealio: Several Brits 'of a certain age' decide that their retirement funds will go a whole lot further if they are only willing to transplant to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. In India. While each person who elects to relocate has a different reason for doing so, all have the same mixed feeling of anxiety, fear of the unknown and excitement at their daring, at this point in their lives. Their ability to settle in and make a new life for themselves, however, is highly dependent on their flexibility and unstaunchable Brit 'can do' attitude. Some have it in spades (Wilkinson's Graham in particular has nothing but positive enthusiasm and relish  for the changes), others are finding this a real mistake (Wilton's Jean is appalled at every turn by what she sees as a total breakdown in the privilege and culture she has come to rely upon in England). What will happen next? Simply put: everything.

The Grading Session: 4.23 pengies out of 5. This was a really good flick, but not a  really great one. I think the world of Maggie Smith, but I found her attitude change, in particular,  to be a bit...incredible. Not unwelcome, just hard to buy. I thought Bill Nighy and Judi Dench to be delightful and enjoyable in nearly every scene- talk about chem and riveting acting! Although fairly predictable and finally, a bit too pat, I did enjoy this movie and felt the participants did a wonderful job of distracting me from the meringue-weight lightness of the entire endeavor.

Lessons Learned: Apparently, having something of weight to do is all the distraction I will need once I am of retirement age, to make me forget what doesn't work as automatically as once happened. Also this: if you are a fish out of water- get back into the water. You will never figure out the knack of breathing air. Lastly this: all manner of short-comings can be swept under the (non-existent) carpet if a host is charming and engaging enough.

Notable Quotables: Just one. And it is a honey: 'We have a saying that all will be right in the end. If everything is not all right...it is not yet the end.' I need to remember that.