BOOK ME INTO 5 STAR BUDAPEST HOTEL…
When presented with the genre tagline of ‘comedy’, I immediately doubt the films ability to both make me laugh and provide a satisfying narrative that doesn’t descend into a trashy expose of American slapstick and vulgarity. I realise I may be in the minority with this seemingly dour viewpoint of one of the most popular and lucrative genres However, Wes Anderson’s latest experiment, The Grand Budapest Hotel, has made me reassess this shallow mindset proving that comedy can be subtly entwined into a slick, smart and artistically rewarding picture that can engross me into the quirky world of the Budapest Hotel for 100 minutes without me desperately trying to conjure a titter.
Anderson’s gallant return to form centres around the seemingly omniscient concierge of the once prestigious Grant Budapest Hotel, M.Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) whom, along with new trusted lobby boy Zero, must unravel a tangled web of deceit that has seen him accused of the murder of one of the hotel guests in which Gustave had a rather unsettling but intriguing relationship with.
With the precisely structured camera work and narrative exposition that has come to be expected of a Wes Anderson film, The Grand Budapest Hotel provides continued evidence for Anderson to be considered and celebrated as one of modern cinemas great auteurs in which he continues to utilise known style and unique cinematic interpretation despite the shackles of an omnipresent formulaic Hollywood rattling in the ear of individuality and subtlety. As the writer and director of Budapest Anderson incorporates perfectly judged quirkiness with the exceedingly smart dialogue full of wit and intrigue in which contains a respectable subtlety to which does neither question nor insult spectator intelligence.
With an all-star cast filled with cameos (arguably) from the likes of Adrien Brody, Willem Defoe, Jude Law, Jess Goldblum and Tilda Swinton, this vast ensemble could have easily become a chaotic invasion of Hollywood stars that may have proceeded to appear a stale gimmick with distinct lack of purpose, however, the carefully woven storyline caters for the role of theses recognisable stars, each serving an important function to catapult the narrative through its various chapters. With many stylistic elements reminiscent of old school Hollywood the narrative seems to lure the spectator in with its nostalgic cinematic charm but fails to reject modernity by perfectly incorporating the right balance of violence and language expectant of modern cinema for it to not be overlooked as an edgy cinematic benchmark for modern Hollywood. An out of the blue finger chopping scene being a particular highlight of brutality just as you feel comfortable and familiar with the films pace and unique tone.
The film perfectly balances laughs with intrigue without compromising narrative whilst providing multi-layered depth that allows for exploration at ones desire. Anderson’s latest venture rectifies and restores faith in the overused criticism that Hollywood has run dry of originality and merely proves that Hollywood merely supplies for the demand… and we demand more Wes Anderson!
killedbillfilm 