Reel Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Written by: Ben
When it comes to Wes Anderson I have found that he is a direct people either love or they totally hate him. Basically that is because he is most definitely an Auteur in that he has his style and all of his films showcase that style. That style of course being non-sequitor heavy comedy that is rife with irony and absurdity like an impossible hipster fairy-tale. I am indeed a fan of his work (though I admittedly do dislike a few of his films) but I also can’t fault anyone who doesn’t just because of how style heavy they are. But the big question is whether or not The Grand Budapest Hotel, one of his most star studded outings which is also his first period pieces, can match the quality of his past work.
The telling of the narrative itself is quite oddly layered as its being read from a book by a fan of a now deceased author (older version played by Tom Wilkinson and the younger who kind of narrates is played by Jude Law) reading his novel. But its not this author story, but rather that of former richest man in the country, Zero Moustafa (older verison telling Law played by F. Murray Abraham and the younger whom we see the most of played by Tony Revolori) who regales the author of his story and how he came to own the titular hotel. When we start, Zero is the new Lobby Boy who is under the close watch and guidance of the much revered concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) who essentially runs the hotel. Gustave is something of a Casanova for the rich and elderly and they all love him especially a rich and powerful duchess who dies shortly after leaving the hotel. Her death is under suspicious circumstances, and especially when she leaves Gustave a valuable painting instead of her family, her greedy son Dimitri (Adrien Brody) and his muscle Jopling (Willem DaFoe) have him arrested for the murder. Gustave and Zero must prove his innocence, earn his painting and deal with the impending World War on the horizon all while ensuring the dignity, respect and quality the Grand Budapest Hotel exemplifies isn’t lost in these dark times.
If you’re already a little lost by that, I’m sorry but as I said it is interestingly layered but it all really pays off. Part of how it does is in just furthering the absurdity of the film, and truly it might be the most absurd film Anderson has made to date. From the stars purposefully not even trying to use a correct accent (it takes place in a west German sort of country, and most supplementary characters have matching accents) to the lack of care about the clearly amassing war machine it is all very apparent. Mix in that Gustave is always focused on his friendly and giving concierge even whilst in prison or talking to the police, it gets rather absurd. I don’t want to spoil a single specific in those regards though because they are the great charm here. Lets just say that if you even wanted to see Nazis swayed by kindness this is your time.
But lets look at the characters and actors, though if I tried to properly cover everyone in this film I’d be here all night. So lets look at our biggest character, Goustave who is a wonderfully different role for Fiennes. While Fiennes normally plays a tough male and frequently the villain, here he is a far more effeminate and kind character, though truly not afraid to show his teeth when truly needed, but generally he is properly charming. Revolori as Zero is also quite good as he emulates Gustave in a lot of ways, but has a strength brought on by his past and truly defines himself as a hero by the end. He also has his love interest, the gifted pastry chef Agatha who is played by Saoirse Ronan as a character with a cool attitude in most cases but who warms up immensely when with the kind hearted Zero. They all show surprising strength when challenged by the rude and merciless Dimitri who is almost a Snively Whiplash type villain shifts from menacing to zany with perfect timing. DaFoe as his henchman is quite good too, as a man of few words and just funny evil stares and menacing looks until he strikes. The last to make up the principle cast is Edward Norton as the main police officer on the murder case, Henckels. He is a skilled detective but he is so expressive and his use of his normal voice around the rest of the German accented police force (and his massive mustache) have him generally played for comedy and quite well.
That took forever to go through so I do just want to touch on the amount of great cameos. From the expected Bill Murray appearance, to Harvey Keitel it is certainly a diverse plate. But my favorite, and one of the biggest ones is actually Jeff Goldblum as the estate lawyer who just is perfectly out of place as he doesn’t fit into any camp of characters that its hilarious. Each cameo isn’t just popping on screen for a second and small joke like the 2011 The Muppets got to, they are almost a full guest star for how much they add. It is with a skilled hand that Anderson works them in without stealing the scene or wasting time.
Overall Anderson does a stellar job here proving why he is as revered as he is. The use of things you may know from history class, then twisting them into this mirror world parodying reality is truly skillful. From menacing Gothic homes and barren snowy landscapes to the pink and regal Grand Budapest Hotel itself he also uses color to express tones and feelings without saying a thing. If anything really is wrong for me it would just have to be how much is going on in general as sometimes it is a bit hard to remember all parts. For instance, I really loved Norton’s character but I feel like he wasn’t fully utilized as I’d like, not did Ronan get to do too much despite being great in all of her scenes. Its not much of an issue really because its just not enough of a great thing, and I could’ve watched another hour of this movie and not felt bored, but it is worth noting what could’ve been. Overall though it truly could be Anderson’s best work.
Rating: 4.5/5
Reelization:
If you want an absurdist drama with good heart and charming characters you couldn’t ask for a better film than this. It is zany and funny with a tongue in cheek take on history that is sure to entertain both those that know their history and those who have no idea about the time it is set in. If you are an Anderson fan already then the only excuse you have for not seeing it yet is its still slightly limited release. If you aren’t an Anderson fan, or are on the fence in regards to his work I still recommend giving it a shot as it really is a joy. Either way, I can’t wait to see it again to be sure.