Wes Anderson must be contemporary cinemas most stylish and idiosyncratic director and the Grand Budapest Hotel reveals him to be at the top of his game. While earlier efforts have only dazzled intermittently this gorgeous, Russian doll of a movie features everything you could possibly ask for in an intelligent and fast paced narrative. As M. Gustav the suave, libidinous concierge of the titular hotel, Ralph Fienes has never been funnier and his story is revealed in a series of artfully conceived flashbacks, told by The author - Tom Wilkinson and Jude Law (dont ask). When Gustavs ageing squeeze, Madame D (a nearly unrecognisable Tilda Swinton) dies unexpectedly, she leaves a priceless painting in her will to her longtime lover, and things get very complicated indeed. Newcomer Tony Revolori makes an appealing debut as Zero, the new bellboy who Gustav takes under his wing, while a host of famous names (more accurately described as Andersons mates) appear in a whole range of cameo roles. The art direction is particularly appealing, giving the film the look of a many-layered wedding cake and there are tributes here to the work of silent movie directors like Georges Melies and the Lumiere Brothers. The script is laugh-out-loud funny and whenever proceedings are in danger of dragging, it deftly leaps in a whole new direction. Really quite fabulous and frankly unmissable. 5 stars.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 21:32:52 +0000
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