The Grand Budapest Hotel

****
Release Date: March 7th 2014

The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

Director: Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, The Royal Tenenbaums)

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartman, Tilda Swinton, Tony Revolori

Wes Anderson is a one of a kind director. He does as he pleases. Being unique is the key to success in an industry full of remakes and sequels. What may seem like a strange project to some will surely be adventurous to others. 

We first see Tom Wilkinson, the author who introduces and guides us through the tale of Gustave H (Fiennes). The story is passed to the younger author (played by Jude Law), who then meets Gustave H's old lobby boy Zero Moustafa (who at this point is the owner of the hotel), who tells the author how he came to be Gustave's personal companion (and the owner).

So now, told by a third voiceover (older Zero) we see what kind of antics Gustave H gets up to, accompanied by the younger self (Revolori). Gustave is a likeable, mischievous character. He cavorts with elderly ladies, and bores his workers with poems and sonnets. It's merely coincidence when something or someone interrupts him every time. He's blamed for the death of infatuated Madame D (Swinton), and Zero must do all he can to help him in this tight spot.

Wes Anderson guides us through this story with a number of mesmerising attributes. Shots zoom in and out, pan upwards and downwards. Every shot has incredible depth, from the fanciful costumes, interiors designs, antics in the backgrounds, to the two dimensional exterior settings. Its humour may not smack you straight in the face. Instead the jokes flow well with what can be seen (even if it's a little dry).

Anderson has enlisted an impressive cast, some coming straight from his last venture, Moonrise Kingdom. Adrien Brody is the domineering son of Madame D, snarling and hurling abuse at Gustave. All the other actors (Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jeff Goldblum) have major impact. All attention is on Fiennes though. It's hard to believe he can be so nice after seeing him as Voldemort.

Overview: A fine piece of art by Wes Anderson. There's a fine balance of cynicism and belief with TGBH, one that would be nice to see again and again.