Rated PG-13

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, an exuberant mouthful of a little film, based on Deborah Maggach's novel These Foolish Things, confirms the adage that age is just a state of mind. The generation that once demanded that no one trust a person older than 30 has obviously and humbly tossed out the indictment and now must greet old age with its challenges-and possibly last chances. The ensemble of characters in the film embodies almost every perspective of growing older, from coping with a body that is in decline, to opening up and freeing oneself of personal constrictions. Redemption, fear, and enjoyment play big parts, and the seasoned actors hone their roles with energy and chutzpah. Although the film touches down lightly on the characters' angst or pleasure-seeking, the humor is timely and plausible, and most troubles are resolved, for the good or sad. The surprises lie within each person's choices.

Judi Dench (J. Edgar, Shakespeare in Love) quietly commands center stage playing Evelyn Greenslade, a woman who joins a group of British seniors when they converge at the airport on the way to what they think is an upscale retirement hotel for the "elderly and beautiful" in Udaipur, India. Evelyn, whose husband's death has left her with a mountain of debt, soulfully takes time out to find herself. Like the others, she finds the unexpected, beginning with a crumbling new residence. She starts a blog, trying to adapt to her experiences, which inserts a time line and adds spice to the narrative.

Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson: In the Bedroom, Shakespeare in Love), a successful judge and natural leader, initially holds on to the secret of why he returns to India after many years. Douglas and Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy: Love Actually and Penelope Wilton: Downton Abbey) are escaping from a retirement apartment and end up exposing their troubled marriage. Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) charges in as the irascible Muriel Donnelly who needs a hip replacement and an overhaul of her racist attitude. Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) and Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie: Bridget Jones's Diary) are searching for companions to ward off loneliness.

Director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, The Debt) orchestrates and blends the characters' separate issues, including the romantic troubles of Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel: Slumdog Millionaire), the young, ever-optimistic manager of the hotel, and deftly glides through the crowded, vibrant Udaipur.

Evelyn blogs that the city is an "assault on the senses...a riot of noise and color."

Enduring a new culture and each other proves no simple task, but the inexperienced travelers-with one exception-rise to each event, whether they joke about the cockroaches or gradually reveal their personal pitfalls. Marigold Hotel ebbs and flows like the people in Udaipur and their spirit not only becomes indelible to the characters, but to the audience, as well.

The buoyant Sonny professes, "Everything will be alright in the end. If it's not alright, it's not the end." He cheerfully challenges the others to not just cope, but thrive in their new home, and learns from them how to stand up for himself. Although one person passes away and one leaves India, the others find a way of not feeling marginalized or resigned to the withering routines they had before. In other words, the "beautiful" inhabitants of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel discover how to enjoy the inevitable slide down the hill.

Wanted: Your Opinion (In 10 Words or Fewer)

We're always looking for the community's input-and now we're offering you a chance to share your opinion of the latest blockbusters, foreign films, indies, and romantic comedies to hit the big screen with your neighbors! Each week, we'll print the best reader-submitted reviews in the Living section and online at www.zip06.com. Send your 10-word movie review to Living Editor Meredith Crawford at m.crawford@shorepublishing.com along with your name and hometown and join the conversation!