Alas, this is a sequel—is there a need to say more? Those of us who found the first one fresh, delightful, whimsical and entertaining likely won’t describe this one in the same way. Yes, our beloved characters are back, but since the freshness is gone, they seem more like caricatures in an ad for Chico’s. The plot, too, is stale and predictable: there is trouble in paradise when Sonny (Dev Patel) neglects his beloved Sunaina (Tena Desai); Evelyn (Judi Dench) fears commitment; the lascivious Celia (Madge Hardcastle) realizes the pursuit of suitors is more fun than their capture; and a number of other silly plotlines. Where Maggie Smith’s irascibility was charming in film one, it’s irritating in film two. And the appearance of hunks Shazad Latif and Richard Gere do little to ease the pain. The best thing I can say about The Second Best is that it again puts the spotlight on a segment of society that tends to be dismissed as irrelevant, showing its members with lives full of romance, vitality, talent and adventure—a message its predecessor did better.
Should You See It? Wait for the DVD. —DW
Viewed at Plaza Frontenac Cinema