The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Movie Review

Tony Revolori and Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel

There is something about every Wes Anderson film that gives off a whimsical feel whenever you are watching. It's like watching a fairytale story book, but made for adults. The dialogue is snappy and has a fun punch to it, and actors who are all so aimly deliver. The Grand Budapest Hotel is about Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes), a conceirge at the aforementioned hotel, where he runs the place with a twinkle in his eye, and his business all up in the old wealthy women who stay there. He begins to mentor a young lobby boy named Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), as he continues another fling with Madame D (Tilda Swinton), named that because you are what you eat. Nomsayn? This is where our story begins, and it's quite the ride from there.

Madame D. is found dead, and her estate is being split up, while Gustave H is torn up about her death, he has to deal with her asshole son Dmitri (Adrien Brody) and his muscle Jopling (Willem Dafoe). The Grand Budapest Hotel leads a merry chase between Gustave H and Dmitri, as Zero and Jopling tag along, as well as all the regular Wes Anderson faces. Who you ask? Think about anyone that has shown their face in a Wes Anderson movie. That's who.

Fiennes is absolutely brilliant as Gustave H, giving one of the best performances of his career. He manages to find the right amount of gravitas and dignity, mixed with a general oblivious aloof nature that makes every second he is on screen a treat. Revolori is also quite solid as young Zero, playing the straight man in most scenes, but fitting nicely into the world. Jeff Goldblum and Saoirse Ronan, as well as the previously mentioned Brody and Dafoe, are all solid in supporting roles, as well as Edward Norton, Harvey Kietel, F. Murray Abrahams and Jude Law. The other Anderson regulars are relegated mostly to cameos, but all make perfect use of their time. To give away any more about the characters or their importance would diminish the experience.

Of course, I'm not going to discount the amazing work of Anderson himself. Accompanied by a wonderful score by the always brilliant Alexandre Desplat and beautiful camerawork from Robert D. Yeoman, Anderson adds another wonderful chapter to the worlds he constantly creates and seems to fully realize. And let's not forget how great his writing always is. Honestly, Wes Anderson is to quirky names and offbeat humour what Quentin Tarantino is to revenge stories and close ups of women's feet. So many great lines are sprinkled and delivered throughout this film that it makes it hard to recount my favourite. If I had to pick one, it'd be "This is the beginning of the end of the end of the beginning". 

Overall, this is simply a film you have to see if you've enjoyed any of Wes Anderson's previous work. While it doesn't quite surpass Moonrise Kingdom or Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, I have no problem putting it in the same league as those two.

Grade: A