Rating: A+
With “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” writer and director Wes Anderson once again proves he is a master storyteller and stands in an off-color category all his own. With an all-star cast portraying an array of expectedly quirky characters – a staple of his films – Anderson’s narrative of the goings-on of the fictional Grand Budapest Hotel brims with imagination, originality and humor.
By weaving an increasingly complex and whimsical plot that cleverly avoids farcical territory, Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” deservedly perches atop a vast majority of last year’s releases.
Joining his repertoire of eccentric, acclaimed films that include 1998’s “Rushmore,” 2001’s “The Royal Tenenbaums,” 2009’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” and 2012’s “Moonrise Kingdom,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” not only highlights his growth as a filmmaker but also shows that he has reached a new zenith.
Few filmmakers could manage the scale of the film, yet Anderson prevails with flying, pastel colors.
Amidst a deluge of great character acting, Ralph Fiennes as Monsieur Gustave H., the concierge of the legendary hotel, and newcomer Tony Revolori as Gustave’s young apprentice Zero Moustafa, rise above the rest.
Ralph Fiennes is at his best in years as Gustave, the charming and flamboyant concierge with a heart of rose gold and a penchant for wooing elderly, aristocratic women.
Fiennes embraces the character’s many layers, and he is a joy to watch. Fiennes’s Gustave radiates cheer and idealism, maintaining an optimistic self-love that bursts brightly in every scene he’s in. Even in moments when he’s most threatened, he’s hilariously self-obsessed. Regardless of appearances, however, he means well at his core, and Fiennes endearingly brings this quality forth in key moments.
Tony Revolori as Zero Moustafa becomes Gustave’s accomplice, partner-in-crime and best friend. In his first major role, Revolori relies on a quiet intellect to give Zero dimension – and he succeeds. He is the calm, reserved foil to Gustave’s colorful persona, balancing the duo.
While these two characters are consistently at the center of the action – and it is mesmerizing to watch them interact – “Budapest” offers an endless parade of enjoyable performances. Unlike other films with a large supporting cast, Anderson creates surprisingly layered secondary characters, giving every performer something interesting to work with. Some supporting turns worth mentioning are Saoirse Ronan as Agatha, a baker with a birthmark in the shape of Mexico and Zero’s love interest; Willem Dafoe as J.G. Jopling, a murderous henchman devoted to the und Taxis family; and Jeff Goldblum as Deputy Vilmos Kovacs, who plays a dual role as the hotel owner’s lawyer and executor of a will key to the film’s plot.
Rounding out the other memorable performers, the supporting cast and numerous cameos also include talents Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Jude Law and Jason Schwartzman. However, two secondary characters stand out the most. Tilda Swinton as the elderly Madame Céline Villeneuve “Madame D” Desgoffe und Taxis and Adrien Brody as her son Dmitri Desgoffe und Taxis both manage to do a lot with little screen time.
The perpetually odd Swinton physically transforms into the much older Madame D, even down to her mannerisms and gait. She becomes a lonely and randy old woman – portraying the relationship with a much younger Gustave in a believable way.
It is her romantic involvement with Gustave that leads to his own eventual danger at the hands of her villainous son Dmitri and his henchmen. As Dmitri, Brody becomes a spoiled brat with a violent temper, exuding a snobbish air unmatched by even real life celebutants.
The plot continuously thickens with deaths, a complex will, a stolen painting and a war threatening the hotel’s fictional European country, the Republic of Zubrowka.
The film, however, never becomes too ambitious or broad as to lose focus. Anderson manages to gracefully toe the line between creativity for creativity’s sake and creativity for narrative’s sake. It’s all thanks to his meticulous screenplay and direction.
With writing credits shared with longtime collaborator Hugo Guinness, Anderson’s story is divided into five distinct parts – with a prologue and epilogue to boot. This method allows each section to have a distinct narrative goal, almost like episodes or seasons in a television show. Without this approach, the film most certainly would have felt muddled and crowded.
Anderson’s direction also brings out the best from each performer, with everyone acting just outlandishly enough. Under lesser guidance, the characters could have easily become cartoonish and campy.
Completing the cinematic harmony of “Budapest,” the production design, costumes and score all come together to bring the film to creative perfection.
Rather than using CGI to create the ornate hotel and the majestic landscapes of Zubrowka, the filmmakers chose to use miniature models and hand-painted scenes and horizons. The costumes are inspired by the most peculiar of the Old World, and the score by Alexandre Desplat incorporates unique musical elements from the Slavic nations of Eastern Europe. Ultimately, all three combine to add to the fantastical charm of the film’s universe.
With nine nominations at this year’s Oscars, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” ties “Birdman” with the most honors – fittingly so as one of the best of the year. With nods including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Score, the Academy is finally giving Wes Anderson and his longtime collaborators the level of recognition they’ve deserved for years with “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” This year will be the year Anderson and company finally take home some Oscar gold.
