The Auteur Strikes Again

The Grand Budapest Hotel 

            Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel is rhythmic, entertaining and star studded. Something of a departure from the intimate Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Anderson’s Grand Budapest goes way beyond huge and into the uncharted territories of gigantic. The most immediate and most noticeable aspect of the film is just how many stars he’s managed to fit into ninety-nine minutes. The old collaborators are all there, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and of course Bill Murray.  Then there are a few faces that we don’t see that often, Jeff Goldblum, Ralph Fiennes and Willem Dafoe. However, one of the most interesting casting decisions would have to be Adrien Brody as the proverbial bad guy.  Brody has it all; the crazy haircut, the sinister walk and the quick witted potty mouth. Granted his quips border on homophobic at times Brody brings a life to the film that goes beyond his sinister black leather jacket. He’s vulnerable at times and says the funniest things at the most appropriate moments. It’s all about pacing in Anderson films and for the Grand Budapest he hasn’t changed a thing. The film goes from slow and contemplative then crescendos to staccato almost erratic with huge chase scenes and shootouts.  At the core of all of Anderson’s films, however, are the characters. They’re always slightly off but extremely bright. They’re underdogs either trying to make a name for themself or avoid a situation that just so happens to be bigger than them.  Ralph Fiennes finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka, a mountainous Eastern European country strife with conflict and poverty.  The plot may sound a bit ridiculous but Anderson grounds the story with lovable and at times idiotic characters.  Ralph’s character, Monsieur Gustave, can hardly carry on a secret affair with Madame Desgoffe, Tilda Swinton, let alone pull off a successful caper or murder. The characters’ short fallings and inabilities is what make the crazy Anderson ride worth it.

            The cinematography while similar to all of Anderson’s past collaborations with cinematographer Robert Yeoman, ASC, is also a departure from Moonrise Kingdom. While Moonrise was captured in Super 16mm the filmmakers went bigger to 35mm for this outing. Anderson insists on film for its’ grain and texture. His films are always reminiscent of old photographs and that’s no different in The Grand Budapest Hotel. The iconic whip pans and center-punched compositions are all present. The auteur does it again with this picture. For those into quirky indie feeling comedies The Grand Budapest Hotel is definitely worth a watch.

--Darius Dawson