Fans of the films of idiosyncratic American filmmaker Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, Rushmore, The Fantastic Mr Fox, etc), will find much to enjoy in his eighth feature film The Grand Budapest Hotel which is, arguably, his best and most accessible work to date. The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge at the famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend and loyal protégé. The film is set in the fictitious Eastern European country of Zubrowka in the years between the two world wars. The fast pace but convoluted plot that involves art theft, murder, a frantic cross country chase, and even a daring prison escape. Anderson maintains a frenetic pace throughout, and he crams a lot into the film’s brisk 100 minutes. It is genuinely laugh out loud hilarious in places. The film plays out with most of Anderson’s signature stylistic touches – the droll dialogue, the still performances, and the meticulous attention to detail. Anderson is known for the wonderfully offbeat and artificial worlds he creates, the eccentric gallery of characters, many of whom are outcasts, his unique visual style, his sense of whimsy, period settings, a strong sense of nostalgia, and effective use of colours and patterns. Fiennes, who is not renowned for his comedic chops, is superb as the usually loquacious, urbane, insouciant and unflappable M Gustave, one of Anderson’s most memorable creations. Anderson has populated the film with many of his regulars, including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Bob Balaban and Jason Schwartzman in small roles, who bring the quirky characters to life. Light and breezy in tone, and endlessly inventive, The Grand Budapest Hotel is quintessential Anderson, and a constant delight from start to finish. This is one hotel you want to make a reservation to check into as soon as possible.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Apr 2014 05:19:40 +0000
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