Keeping Things Classy

Rating: 10/10 (23 April 2014)

Wes Anderson is pretty much the kind of director who never betrays his cinematic trademark no matter how small and unconventional it looks. Just like most of his films, the style and personality are written all over it, from aesthetics to pizazz, but compare this to the others, The Grand Budapest Hotel crafts something that is nearly otherworldly which (obviously) makes it very charming. It is a part thriller and part comedy film that is perfectly coated by its artistic panache, but looking deep within the structure, you may also find a bunch of witty humor and rich character development from the two leads which makes it a really special experience.
The film is actually a set of layered events telling how many generations have reached the story of the past hotel owner, Gustave H. That strange piece of intro immediately presents the endless creativity of the picture. Some might think it's unnecessary, but it gives a lot of sense when the final title card appears, pretty much sums up the purpose of that period jump. But it doesn't stop there, of course. The whole film is an amusing multi-genre adventure that takes you to whimsically designed places. Even when it hits to the suspenseful moments, it still sticks to the lightheartedness until every color fades into black and white. It's a quite sophisticated direction, anything else is a pure delight.
The aesthetics are an undeniable visual feast. You couldn't ask for anything more than that, the film adds plenty of quirky action within this fabulous looking world. The perfect blend of buddy comedy, mystery, and suspense is all what you need for this platform video game looking environment. But then, it's not complete without the joys of the characters. The real shining moments here is the relationship between Gustave H. and Zero. Ralph Fiennes is wondrous to the role. He made Gustave H. a very likable fellow in spite of his obvious insecurities and selfishness. But then it's an overall compelling performance. Tony Revolori also shines as his apprentice. The misfit pair sparks chemistry that adds more color to this already colorful world. The rest of the cast are just equally terrific at they are doing, whether it's to deliver great humor or give a lot of life in each scene.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is often manic yet (obviously) often creative and witty. It's all classic stuff: it suddenly creates a captivating universe where its imaginations are free to express endlessly. I mean it even ends with an animated dance at the credits. Everything is not a surprise from the director, however it is still kind of a refreshing cinema. Because definitely it has larger than life painted exteriors, delightful characters, brilliant humor, and smart filmmaking that do not always exist in your everyday entertainment. It's just a fun caper that is easy to love, no matter if your interests to movies is mainstream or art-house.