The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel premiered in 2011. Directed by John Madden and starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighty and Maggie Smith, this movie is about a group of retirees who travel to India. When they arrive, the group soon realizes that the hotel is a little short of spectacular. These individuals experience culture shock like none other as they settle into their new life. Communication with the natives is little to none as the natives do not speak English and their lifestyle is very different. Though they are met with new challenges and obstacles everyday, one by one each character finds closure and happiness in India. This film is most appropriate to describe intercultural transitions because the U-curve theory stages of anticipation, cultural shock, and adjustment are experienced by each character in some way or another.
Martin & Nakayama use the interpretive approach to break down the adaptation process. The U-Curve model is "a theory of cultural adaptation positing that migrants go through fairly predictable phases-excitement/anticipation, shock/disorientation, adjustment-in adapting to a new cultural situation" (Martin & Nakayama, 2013). This theory is specifically speaking of how migrants cope with their new surroundings but is not exactly experienced in the same order for every migrant. A migrant is defined as someone who "leaves the primary cultural context in which he or she was raised and moves to a new cultural context for an extended time (Martin & Nakayama). The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a prime example of how a group of migrants adapt to their new culture.
In the movie some characters adjust faster and differently than others. It was interesting to see how the U-Curve worked with each of the characters' adaption. Initially every character went through the anticipation phase. Mrs. Greenslade was very anxious and scared to embark on this adventure without her late husband who died presumably shortly before the story took place. In complete contrast, Mrs. Donnelly was anxious and unenthusiastic about her necessary trip to India for a hip replacement. As these characters differed in their anticipation stage they also differed in the culture shock and adjustment phases as well. When Mrs. Donnelly finally got over her culture shock and started adjusting, she shares a personal part of her life with one of the hotel workers that that she earlier wanted nothing to do with. The adjustment period takes time and in Mrs. Donnelly's case, she also proves that some must change their heart and way of thinking to accept a new culture. This movie perfectly describes intercultural transitions because it provides the reader with a glimpse of what it would be like to leave your comfortable home for a whole new world.
Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2013). Intercultural communication in contexts (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill
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