The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (John Madden, 2015)

A sequel was inevitable given the pressure of the likelihood that some of the veteran cast would soon start popping their clogs for real and so we have another instalment of the same, drawn our over two hours. This is no bad thing in that it's as cosy as a cup of cocoa and the principal players are always watchable, but the main plot is even thinner than last time around, largely ripped off from Fawlty Towers as Dev Patel's jittery young hotel impresario gets it into his head that a particular guest is a hotel inspector, with all the predictable consequences. The awkward real India of the film is also pushed so far into the background as to remain completely out of view. Still, it would be foolish and pointless to expect social realism here and the spiky verbal interplay between Maggie Smith and co. remains a delight, even if a lightweight one.

5/10