Well, I do not even know where to start! “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was one of my most anticipated films this year. My expectations were very high and I can say it exceeded everything I was expecting.
Wes Anderson is a very peculiar and original director; there is no one like him and his style is unmistakable. With an interesting filmography , it is great to see his improvement over the years. This film is a good example of that. All his usual filming techniques, color palette, the history, quirky characters, and scenarios always full of details keep getting better with each film. I would like to give the main highlight for the set design that will get you literally gaping!
Wes Anderson wrote this film based on the books of a writer named Stefan Zweig and the entire universe that he created around this story is absolutely fabulous! “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a famous hotel in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka in the European Alps. In it we follow the adventures of the important concierge Gustave H. and his recent apprentice Zero Moustafa, who go far beyond the Grand Budapest. Gustave H. has the particularity to like seducing older and wealthy hotel guests. After years of involvement with one of these ladies, she is murdered and Gustave is the prime suspect of her murder. Then it starts all this great, crazy and hilarious mess!
Ralph Fiennes shines in this film, his performance is magnificent as the concierge Gustave H. In each scene he enters he steals the show! His performance is the one with the most spotlight, but he is always supported by a whole cast that play their roles genially. The young and recent actor Tony Revolori is also very good and all the scenes between him and Ralph Fiennes are wonderful; the two had a great chemistry and that is transmited beyond the screen. Big names like F. Murray Abraham, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, and many others are all excellent in their small roles. While I sometimes wished to see these talented names have a little more time on screen, each one has its importance in the story.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” is fun and colorful, with great dialogues and hilarious scenes, while also leaving an important message about loyalty and friendship. Wes Anderson now elevates the bar very high, after this brilliant film, we are waiting to see what this great and unique filmmaker will do next. I think I can say that this happens to be my favorite film by him (definitely on of his best), and will also certainly be one of my favorites this year.
– by Caty Alexandre
