Delicious

Rating: 9/10 (11 March 2014)

If one measure of a work of art is how thoroughly it creates its own world, then this movie is completely successful. It is funny, witty, charming. There isn't a dull frame or a wasted moment. In the spirit of the Mitteleuropa that it dusts down and recreates, like the wares of its fictional baker, it is exquisitely crafted and delicious. It is nostalgic whilst casting a shrewd light on nostalgia, and only superficially superficial.
Whilst I'm sure Ralph Fiennes is very grateful for his career, it is nevertheless true that the role that brought him to Hollywood's attention, Amon Goeth in SCHINDLER'S LIST, set him off on an occasionally tedious course of broody psychopaths and intense romantics. Here he seizes his chance to prove himself an excellent light comedian, clearly enjoying this opportunity to gently mock his previous film personae. He is captivating. It's unlikely he'll get any formal recognition for this, as comedy fares badly at award ceremonies for some inexplicable reason.
One of the film's great pleasures is watching a superb cast clearly having a great time. Cameos fly by, none more enjoyable than Bill Murray's. What extraordinary presence that man has on the screen! Among the other goodies are real gravitas from F. Murray Abraham, snarling malice from Adrien Brody, and finger-licking psychopathy from Wilem Dafoe. Praise too for Tony Revolori and Saoirse Ronan as the completely unsentimental but entirely necessary lovers.
A real treat.