2014 | Dir. Wes Anderson | 100 Minutes
"You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity."
Set in the years leading up to World War II, The Grand Budapest Hotel is the story of a highly dedicated but just as eccentric hotel concierge, framed for the murder of one of his elderly lovers, and the efforts of his faithful lobby boy to rescue him from the machinations of the true perpetrators. The central narrative, told in five parts that take us from art heist to prison break to mountaintop sled chase to epic shootout, is nestled within a framing mechanism that shifts through three different eras (complete with shifting aspect ratios), effectively establishing a dreamlike nostalgic quality for the film.
Ralph Fiennes is a marvel as concierge M. Gustave H., direct, charming, switching between slightly effeminate intonations and frustrated anger at the drop of a hat. However, it can be said that Tony Revolori is the true star of the picture as the young lobby boy Zero, the nuanced straight man playing against Fiennes' bombastic Gustave. Though appearing only briefly in scenes that take place in the 1960s, F. Murray Abraham brings gravitas to the framing story as the older Zero, playing against the ever reliable Jude Law as a young author.
Filling out the rest of the cast is a parade of incredible character actors, including many familiar faces to fans of director Wes Anderson's work: Tilda Swinton nearly unrecognizable as the elderly Madame Céline Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis, Adrien Brody as her villainous son Dimitri, Willem Dafoe as Dimitri's ruthless henchman, Mathieu Amalric as skittish manservant Serge X., Jeff Goldblum as an unassuming lawyer, Edward Norton as a weary military officer, and Saoirse Ronan as Zero's girlfriend Agatha. The film also features brief cameos from Tom Wilkinson, Jason Schwartzman, Léa Seydoux, Harvey Keitel, Wallace Wolodarksy, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson.
With snappy dialogue, colorful production design and art direction, and numerous performances to savor, Anderson delivers another signature meticulously crafted ride.
FRAGMENTS
- Seriously, at this point, what can't Tilda Swinton play?
- Always a pleasure to watch Adrien Brody completely flip out as a villain
- He's aged quite a bit over the past few years but I honestly believe Harvey Keitel can still kick your ass
007 CONNECTIONS
- Mathieu Amalric (Dominic Greene in Quantum of Solace)
- Ralph Fiennes (M in Skyall, Spectre, and No Time To Die)
- Léa Seydoux (Madeleine Swann in Spectre and No Time To Die)
MCU CONNECTIONS
- Edward Norton (Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk)
- Tilda Swinton (The Ancient One in Doctor Strange and Avengers: Endgame)
- Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Thor: Ragnarok)
- Tony Revolori (Flash Thompson in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home)
- Jude Law (Yon-Rogg in Captain Marvel)
- Willem Dafoe (Norman Osborn in Spider-Man: No Way Home)
- Bill Murray (Krylar in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania)
- Owen Wilson (Mobius M. Mobius in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania)
