Hello again, Write Readers!
Welcome back to my series of reviews on the Academy Award Best Picture Nominees! We’re one film down, with seven to go. This next film is the one I was the most surprised to see on the list of best picture nominees- if you guessed The Grand Budapast Hotel, winner, winner, chicken dinner!
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a delightfully wacky Wes Anderson film that was released all the way back in March of 2014. If you saw it then, you probably don’t remember it by now, so here’s a review. Inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig, Ralph Fiennes stars as Monsieur Gustave H., a concierge who is wrongfully accused of murder and requires the help of his lobby boy/personal valet Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori). All though a lot of time travel happens before we get to the most important part, eventually the story begins with Monsieur Gustave H., the very best (and silliest) concierge of the marvelous and booming Grand Budapest Hotel. The hotel is likely very popular with the elderly and wealthy ladies who populate it due to the amorous attentions they receive from the obliging concierge. All the other guests have nothing but the highest respect for the venue. Better service could not be found at the king’s palace! The hotel owner is, of course, absent, merely relaying messages through his attorney. One of these older ladies, Madame Celine Villeneuve “Madame D” Desgoffe und Taxis (Madame C.V.D.u.T) dies, and the good concierge and his lobby boy Zero head to her funeral to say goodbye. After some tomfoolery, they arrive to find that Monsieur Gustave H. has been willed a priceless painting called “Boy with Apple”, that Madame C.V.D.u.T’s money-hungry relatives desperately want for themselves. Not wanting to wait for the attorney to decide what to do, Gustave H. and Zero steal the painting and take it back to the Grand Hotel. Of course, the angry family then decides to frame G.H. for murder. He is falsely imprisoned, but breaks out, and sets off with his lobby boy to find the one man who can help him clear his name, Serge X, Madame C.V.D.u.T’s butler. They learn the truth, and head back to the hotel where they find it is occupied by soldiers (a war has broken out). Dimitri, the main baddy, comes to the hotel to get Monsieur Gustave H., and there is a grand confrontation in which a lot of people shoot ineffectively at each other, and Zero discovers (with the help of Agatha, his lady love) that Madame C.V.D.u.T’s will, effective in the event she is murdered, is attached to the back of the priceless painting. Gustave is of course exonerated, and becomes a rich man; the late Madame leaves her vast fortune, including the hotel, to him. Zero becomes the next concierge of the Grand Budapest Hotel, and as the recipient of Gustave’s will, takes possession of the fortune when Gustave is killed.
This is precisely the sort of movie you forget within seconds of it ending, but you’re quite sure you absolutely loved every moment of it. The dialogue was, of course, quick and snappy, and the characters were perfect caricatures, and the whole thing made me laugh and smile. But I couldn’t quote a single line if I tried, and I truly struggled to recount the story to anyone who asked me (including you, Write Reader). I am fairly certain this won’t win the Best Picture, but because it’s delightful, I’ll talk about it as though it might.
Ralph Fiennes is the shining star of this film. His dry, witty humor, deadpan delivery, and snappy pace kept me interested the entire movie long. (Random aside: Fiennes here reminds me of Tim Curry in Clue, so if you liked that film, you’ll enjoy this one.) I IMdB’d him as I was writing this review, to figure out what I’ve seen him in, and I realize that since Schindler’s List, I haven’t seen him in anything interesting! This isn’t at all the performance I would expect from Lord Voldemort. He is terribly subtle in his delivery, exactly as pompous as he should be, and makes it through the film without laughing at himself. This, to me, feels like a grander, older sort of comedy that has been of late replaced by non-sequiturs and an audience who has to be “in” on the joke in order to get it. Young Tony Revolori provides Fiennes a perfect counterpart, as the most straight-laced of straight men. The brilliance in his work lies in his ability to go along with- nay agree with!- the hijinks of Gustave with a gravity that belies his years. He solemnly nods and says, “truly” or “absolutely” in response to the most absurd statements, as though Gustave is imparting the most sage of advice to be found anywhere. Indeed, in the world of the film, he just might be! Although this all-star cast includes Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Jude Law, Jeff Goldblum, Tilda Swinton, and Bill Murray, Fiennes runs the whole show, with Revolori trotting along at his heels.
Wes Anderson. Ah, what is there to say about Wes Anderson that hasn’t already been said? He directed and produced this film, as well as wrote the story and screenplay. He’s up for Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, and did you see The Life Aquatic? The Royal Tenenbaums? Rushmore? This paragraph about Anderson could end right now. He’s hilarious. He’s brilliant. He needs to win something.
What, in my opinion, elevates this movie to “Best Picture” material is the cinematography, production, costume and make-up design. In other words, unlike Imitation Game, this is one of those films where each piece comes together to create a lovely whole. Neither one can live while the other survives. (See what I did there?) The screen shots are absolutely breath taking. Even if you hate comedy, I would tell you to watch the film on mute. It’s lush, and colorful, and transports you to a time long forgotten, but truly missed. It’s hard to be nostalgic for eras one has never lived in, but I’m more than happy to romanticize the life people must have lead in 1932. Especially since this is Europe, and I can ignore that whole “Great Depression” thing. What with a fictional alpine state and all. The costumes and make-up are not only period appropriate, but lend an air of equal deliberateness and silliness to the whole thing. Revolori’s drawn on mustache is without peer, and his giant “Lobby Boy” hat rails against people who take themselves too seriously. Demitri, played by Adrien Brody, couldn’t be more stereotypically evil, with his curly mustache and grey suit. Have I mentioned the original score? It’s fantastic, tying in story lines and locations to musical motifs so well it could easily have been a silent film.
Having waxed poetic, I will say this film is the direct opposite of a film prepared to win Best Picture. I am reminded of Django Unchained, from last year’s Oscar race, but Grand Budapest doesn’t even have the topic of slavery to propel it to the top of the list. The last true comedy to take home Best Picture was Annie Hall in 1977. The most recent comedy hybrid was still in 1999, with American Beauty. Wes Anderson and his whole team deserve to be recognized for the outstanding work they have done, but unfortunately the odds are definitely not in their favor. Still, if you’re looking for fun for the whole family (keep in mind the ratings, of course), The Grand Budapest Hotel is a marvelous watch, and you can download it on Amazon Prime!
Ready for more Oscar nominee reviews? Keep on reading, my friends, as we count down our way to the 2015 Academy Awards!
Live, Love, Learn,
Rebecca &