Before the internet, there was always an element of risk booking a hotel you'd never previously stayed in. Often they would omit the fact that your view comprised of a building site, or sea views meant that they offered postcards in the foyer with pictures of the sea on them. But thanks to the likes of Trip Advisor etc, travellers are now more informed than ever before.

That said, there are still those amongst us who get suckered into the most unlikely of things.

No one can deny the power of advertising, so it's no wonder that a disparate bunch of the more mature folk in England are attracted by the welcoming lure of an Indian hotel's brochure. It appears to be a grand and impressive building that will help fulfil their various needs.

So off they all fly to Jaipur where they are greeted by a hotel that, surprise surprise, doesn't quite live up to its lush advertised image. It's in a fairly ramshackle state, but it's young manager Sonny (Dev Patel) manages to paint an attractive picture of the hotel's potential; so much so that they all decide to stay.

The hotel's guests all find themselves staying there for various reasons: Muriel (Maggie Smith) has had her operation outsourced to India, so finds herself there for a new hip on the cheap; Graham (Tom Wilkinson) is a High Court judge who decides to return to the country he grew up in; Norman (Ronald Pickup) has been dragged there by his powerful libido; Madge (Celia Imrie) is looking for a companion with very deep pockets; Douglas (Bill Nighy) and Jean (Penelope Wilton) are looking for an adventure; and recently widowed Evelyn (Judi Dench) feels drawn to the place after talking to someone in a call centre based there.

Despite all their different reasons for visiting, they're united by country and the roof they all share. They also find that the longer they stay in the hotel, and by extension India itself, the more life-changing the experience becomes.

They wouldn't have deported us from the country if one of us hadn't stolen all the soap from the hotel. But who...?

Clearly the main draw of this film is its impressive cast. And let's face it, if some of the cream of British acting are attracted by the same script, it has to be a winner. And that is essentially the key to this film's undoing.

With such an incredible list of talent involved, the expectation is there for the film to be vastly better than it actually is. Unfortunately for all concerned, it's let down by a relatively mediocre and predictable script. It's not difficult to map out each and every character's story resolve by the film's end. And with no surprises at all, there's nothing much left than to watch a bunch of credible actors enjoying themselves in India.

Perhaps all the film's budget was taken up by the cast and the director – it certainly wasn't spent on the writer; Ol Parker isn't probably a name you'll be that familiar with, unless of course you were a fan of the children's show Grange Hill during its twilight years between '94-'96. Yes, out of the few projects he's got a writing credit for, this show is his most stand out title. Considering the amount of acting heavyweights the film attracted, surely they could have had a whip round to secure a writer with a tad more experience?

John Madden's direction is surprisingly disappointing too. A bit like the brochure in the film, the film's poster and trailer promise more than the actual film delivers. Madden's view of India appears narrow and insular, focusing much of his attention on the cast themselves. The sense of cultural vibrancy, with all the aural and visual textures you would expect, is sadly missing. This film could have easily been shot on a Hollywood back lot and still looked the same.

There are some nice performances, including an energetic and warm performance from the young Patel, but with a cast this good, there really is expectancy for more than just 'nice'.

Ultimately the film is akin to an Indian frozen dinner for one; it's a fairly agreeable serving and pleasant enough, but you're under no illusion that it's anything like the real taste of India.