The Grand Budapest Hotel (Review)

A junior lobby boy is taken under the wing of the hotel's concierge in an absurd murder-mystery.

Gorgeously directed by Wes Anderson, this film doesn't fail to impress.

(Zero/Gustave: One of the greatest duos in film, in my opinion)

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Film Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), directed and screen written by Wes Anderson (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom), revolves around Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes); the hotel’s concierge, and young Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori); the hotel’s bellhop, and their adventures to prove M. Gustave’s innocence after he is framed for the murder of his close, and extremely wealthy, friend with whom he has had a romantic relationship with. The film is a unique version of the routine murder-mystery genre and Anderson does a spectacular job of directing and making it a masterpiece. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a work that is a step out of Anderson’s usual childhood films, but is definitely a top contender for his best film to date. With a strong plot and an even stronger cast - with appearances from talented actors such as Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, and Williem Dafoe – the movie is bound to be a box-office hit.

The film begins in the late winter of present day with a woman visiting the statue of a deceased author, where she proceeds to turn to the back cover of a pink coloured novel she has in her hands that is entitled with the same name as the film. On the back of the book is a black and white photograph of a man sitting at a desk, the same author the statue is commemorated.

Anderson focuses on different time periods throughout the course of the film – mainly fluctuating between 1968 and 1932, with small glimpses of scenes during 1985. As the camera zooms onto the picture of the author, the film quickly transfers to another scene in 1985, where the author (Tom Wilkinson) is seen sitting at the same desk as in the photograph.

The author speaks to the viewer and introduces a story of himself in 1968, when he met the elderly Zero (F. Murray Abraham), the current owner of the hotel. A brief flashback displays how the hotel looked in the years before; a dreamy, soft pink building sitting on top of a mountain contrasted with golden curtains seen within the seemingly countless windows and a large golden sign that reads, “GRAND BUDAPEST” above the doors, and on the inside, a vast lobby covered in a deep golden color lined with a pure red carpet. The film quickly switches back to the current building of 1968; the pink colour having worn-down to an unattractive grey, the golden curtains were no longer seen, and the sign no longer hung above the entrance, rather a pair of off-white letters were pasted above the doors that reads, “GB”. The once famous hotel is now very similar to the appearance of a mental institution.

The use of various wide-shots at different angles to display the Grand Budapest truly captures the beauty of the hotel. Instead of using the traditional camera pan to capture an immense environment or to follow a character moving along a setting, Anderson strategically places the camera in a single spot in which he can capture the whole of the setting and all of the action within a single scene. This allows for the viewer to appreciate the intricate work done on the film and leave them craving for more.

Curious as to how Zero came to be owner of the Grand Budapest and ultimately, one of the wealthiest people in Europe, the young author (Jude Law) and Zero decide to discuss over dinner. As Zero begins his story, the film transitions to 1932 where he is seen working as the hotel’s new bellhop, under the supervision of the hotel’s concierge, Monsieur Gustave H.

Throughout the film, Anderson manipulates the aspect ratio of the screen as the story switches from 1968 to 1932. He uses a box-like ratio for the scenes that are set in 1932, and restores the screen back to a full widescreen when the film shows the young author and Zero having dinner. Anderson is known for his wonderful work with the camera, and this is just one of many examples seen throughout the movie. The boxed screen used for the early parts of the story provides an atmosphere similar to a painting, as if the viewer were in a museum watching history take place right on their living room television screen.

Young Zero is determined to be the best lobby boy the Grand Budapest has ever had. He quickly realizes that in order to move up in the ranks within the hotel, he needs to follow the instructions of M. Gustave and is soon turned into his pupil. He devotes his loyalty to M. Gustave, which gets him involved with his troubles told throughout the film.

M. Gustave is framed for the death of a friend, Madame D. (Tilda Swinton) who leaves M. Gustave with a painting entitled “Boy With Apple”, an extremely expensive piece of art. Alongside Zero, the two try to prove his innocence while avoiding the law, a homicidal maniac, and the family of Madame D. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a story of loyalty and betrayal, romance and death, and comedy and horror which keeps the movie as sweet and as enjoyable as Mendl’s pastries.

Visually, The Grand Budapest Hotel is stunning. Anderson, along with his filming crew, has done an amazing job with how the movie is shot and designed.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is designed by Adam Stockhausen, who is not afraid of pushing the boundaries of film decor. His use of vibrant colours and unique structure truly makes Anderson’s movie the most beautiful film of the year. The Grand Budapest resembles a picture straight out of a children’s story book. The light pink coloured building is similar to the creamy icing that surrounds every level of a seven-layer wedding cake, which is then gorgeously complimented with the slightest details of gold. Snow steadily falls onto the mountain-top hotel, just enough to be noticed by the viewer but not enough to distract from the building’s beauty. The Grand Budapest Hotel will have the viewer feeling as if they were thrown into the mind of a child, but the film’s awe-inspiring depiction will satisfy even the most critical of viewers.

The plot of The Grand Budapest Hotel is not the conventional linear storyline of most movies. Rather, the movie is split into five separate parts, and the viewer is left to combine the parts of the movie as if it were a moving puzzle. Wes Anderson steps into the Quentin Tarantino-esque world of split-part films, and definitely does not fail to disappoint.

While the movie looks very childish in terms of decoration, many children will not be fond of the film simply because the plot is too complex to understand. However, many young adults interested for a murder-mystery with a little bit of flair and do not mind putting the pieces of a storyline together will enjoy every little moment of this film.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a breathtaking film. The characters are lovable and are developed throughout the film to create an emotional connection with the viewer. The decoration of the film is gorgeous, and the excellent use of different camera techniques makes it so much more enjoyable. The story, along with the extremely talented cast, constantly keeps the movie interesting and makes each new viewing of the film just as exciting as the first. With his latest creation in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson’s film is an overall masterpiece; a perfect mix of comedy, action, and romance surrounded by beautiful setting in every scene.

5/5 Stars!