Movie Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Written by Anthony Sargon
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a marvelous film. Perhaps Wes Anderson’s most Wes Anderson-y film yet, it’s funny, surprisingly melancholic, and a gorgeous feast for the eyes. If you’re not a fan of Anderson’s fast-talking, offbeat style, then there may not be enough here to change your mind, but that’s a big shame given that this is an incredibly rich and layered film. It cements the fact that Anderson is one of the most talented and consistent American filmmakers working today. Oh, and Ralph Fiennes should do more comedy. He’s brilliant.
The film opens as a young girl begins reading a memoir where the author (Jude Law) describes his visit to The Grand Budapest Hotel in the late 1960s. The hotel is located in a fictional central European nation known as the Republic of Zubrowa. The country is impoverished and has been ravaged by war, and the remote, mountainside hotel itself is but a shadow of the glorious place it once was. The author then meets the hotel’s owner, Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), and the two proceed to have dinner, where Mr. Moustafa tells him the story of how he came to acquire The Grand Budapest Hotel.
We’re then transported to 1932, when the young Zero (Tony Revolori) was just a lobby boy working at the hotel. The Republic of Zubrowa is on the verge of war, and so is a big chunk of Europe. Mr. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) is the Grand Budapest’s concierge, and he’s adored by the guests, especially aging, blonde ladies who visit the hotel exclusively to enjoy his “service.” When one of his lady friends, Madame D (an unrecognizable Tilda Swinton), mysteriously dies in her home, Gustave, along with Zero, travel to her location to attend the funeral service. Once there, Gustave learns that he’s inherited an incredibly valuable painting, Boy With Apple, which drives her son Dmitri Desgoffe-und-Taxis (Adrien Brody) totally mad. Gustave then steals the painting anyway, and with the help of Zero, returns to the Grand Budapest. Gustave is then framed for the murder of Madame D, and it’s up to him and Zero to prove his innocence. In the process, Gustave and Zero become rather good friends, and their relationship is one of the film’s greatest achievements.
I know, I just described a whole lot of plot, but it’s the only way to provide some context, and to show how layered the film is in its narrative structure. It really is a delightful and often funny film, but it can be deeply melancholic. It actually reminded me of Roberto Benigni’s masterpiece “La Vita è Bella.” Mr. Gustave is desperately trying to shelter his hotel from the ever-increasing threat of Nazi-like invaders, much like Roberto Benigni’s character was trying to shelter his son from the atrocious reality they were living in. There’s also some “Hotel Rwanda” in there, which I just wasn’t expecting from Wes Anderson.
The film is beautifully shot, and again it’s Wes Anderson through and through. Camera angles are intricate and mesmerizing, making this his most visually arresting film yet (along with “Fantastic Mr. Fox”). His use of detailed miniatures and colorful decor gives the film an undeniable charm. The actual hotel is a beautiful, ornate structure that looks like an incredibly appetizing wedding cake.
The film’s biggest star, though, is Ralph Fiennes, who delivers one of the funniest performances I can remember as the eccentric and passionate Mr. Gustave. I never knew Ralph Fiennes could be so funny, and he’s a delight to behold. I also loved Tony Revolori as Zero, and there’s something very Michael Cera-ish about him. The entire cast is on point, and expect to see many Wes Anderson regulars like Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, the always-amazing Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson, just to name a few. It really is a star-studded cast. Other great performances include Jeff Goldblum as Deputy Kovacs and Willem Dafoe as one of Dmitri’s enforcers.
The Verdict:
The more I think about “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, the more I like it. If you’re already a Wes Anderson fan, then you’re going to absolutely love this. If you’re not a fan, I still think you should give this a try. Much like the hotel’s design, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is like an exquisite wedding cake; beautiful, rich, and perfectly layered.
Numerical score: 9.5/10
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