A comic masterpiece of cinema

Rating: 10/10 (21 March 2014)

Wes Anderson is a filmmaker that I consider an acquired taste. You either like his movies or you don't. His style of humor ranges from being strange and shocking, off-colored and off the wall, to intelligent and witty. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" takes this trio of humor and blends them into a masterpiece of comic cinema. The story is so simple that I can write a book about it. It's central figure, a Lobby boy at the Grand Budapest Hotel, tells his story about the concierge Gustave H and the adventures he shared with him. These include but are not limited to murder, creepy assassins, prison escapes, ski chases, war, an all out shootout, a girl with a Port wine stain that is shaped like Mexico, and a painting of a Boy with an Apple. One funny scenario after another happens with these two characters as they carry out their journey. Many gags are thrown in just for laughs while others require more thinking, specifically the reoccurring spoofs on past cinema genres. Aspect ratios change through out the film, key lights turn on off, a blade is referred to as "the throat slitter," and even Adrian Brody walks in slow-motion after a potential victim with a tensed-filled soundtrack.
"The Grand Budapest Hotel" is a movie to enjoy simply because of its frequent gags and well-timed one-liners. It can also be enjoyed because of its great cast. Wes Anderson went all out on the type of actors he chose for his movie. Ralph Fiennes, Adrian Brody, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, Owen Wilson, Saorise Ronan, Willem Dafoe, and Jeff Goldblum are only some of the names in this film. Surpassing all of them, who would have thought that Ralph Fiennes as Gustave H could deliver such excellent comic timing? He gives us a character that is sophisticated yet memorable. His character is not someone to like in real-life. However, the audience cannot help but adore and cherish his personality. Gustave H is a manipulator of sorts and as such a character, Fiennes charmed the theater with boisterous laughter. I now see Mr. Fiennes in a whole new light. Voldemort, whom I've nicknamed him for a long time, can be hysterical. The rest of the cast members turn in good, quirky performances, but it is still Fiennes who steals the show.
As already stated, the plot is straightforward. Nonetheless, it is fun. Every passing moment grows better and better. As the movie draws to a close, I feel as if I had experienced a comic journey that I want to relive some time soon. This is a rare film in which I can picture myself watching this movie over and over again and notice something new that is hysterical. Indeed, the gags go by fast. While I laugh at one, I may well have missed the following one. "The Grand Budapest" is a comic masterpiece of cinema. The average Joe can like it as well as the artistic minded moviegoer.