Review of The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) by Stuart M — 23 Nov 2015
Wes Anderson films are a bit of an acquired taste, but when they're done well they're great. This one is done well. Presented as something of a fairy tale, this movie captures Ralph Fiennes' previously unseen comedic talents as a vain and pompous hotel manager whose ability to switch between excessive verbiage and foul-mouthed gutter talk at the drop of a hat is the highlight of the film.
It's nostalgic for a nonexistent bygone age while at the same time cynical about how truly that era even represented the values it stood for in the same place. And of course it's filled with Anderson's typical flourishes, like the unconventional narrative style, the odd dialogue, and the precise framing and layout of every scene.
When the film is good these characteristics make it better. When it's bad these make it worse. This time it's better.
This review of The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) was written by Stuart M on 23 Nov 2015.
The Grand Budapest Hotel has generally received very positive reviews.
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