A Grand Visit!

Rating: 10/10 (6 May 2015)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014): Dir: Wes Anderson / Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Adrien Brody, Saoirse Ronan, Edward Norton: Another great Wes Anderson comedy after such gems as Moonrise Kingdom and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. This is a colourful comic epic about the history of this European hotel. It is narrated over dinner by Zero, a former lobby boy informing an author how he came to own the hotel. Anderson highlights the film with a large ensemble cast entering in and out throughout the colourful sets and quirky camera shots. Ralph Fiennes plays owner Gustave who is framed for a murder. The victim is Madame D whom he flirted with and whom he learns left a painting to him in her will. This enrages her family who viewed the valuable painting as something that should have been left to them. Instead Gustave and Zero steal the painting and conceal it in the hotel safe. Fiennes leads the cast with pencil moustache and a hit on his life after escaping prison to clear his name. Tony Revolori plays the loyal Zero who benefits for his protective loyalty to Gustave. Adrien Brody plays Madame D's enraged son Dmitri who wants Gustave dead. Saoirse Ronan plays Agatha, a pastry chef at the Grand Budapest and who marries Zero. She also demonstrates bravery when it factors into transporting the painting when Dmitri comes looking. Edward Norton plays an inspector who first comes into the film on the train to the funeral. He eventually ends up hunting for Gustave. This is a grand scale mystery and comedy about loyalty and those individuals who make an impact along the way. Score: 10 / 10