There's lots of what the fine original movie had--great scenery and atmosphere--plus lots of exuberant dancing, and of course a great cast. But this sequel is crippled by an apparent need to wrap EVERYTHING up; as a result there are way too many subplots, and the movie drags-- and eventually bores (much like the Bill Nighy-Judi Dench romance, which ground my teeth). There's inefficient writing: the opening is a completely unnecessary subplot with our hero and Maggie Smith going to the US to raise money to buy a second hotel. This gives Smith an opportunity to be Downton-ishly waspy about bad American tea, but is really a waste of screen time. Other forgettable subplots: the old Randy guy and his two-timing girlfriend, the return of Nighy's evil wife (although here she's as superb a bitch as she is the perfect prig on Downton Abbey). By far the worst has Richard Gere as a hotel inspector who falls for the hero's bitter, bullying, sharp-tongued mom. The writing here is criminally bad and Gere is so wooden you could carve him into a camp stool. This is a case of what the Brits call or used to call 'over- egging the pudding.'
