If you are a fan of wordy dialogue and unconventional camera angles, then “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a must-see. But if your tastes are not quite that specific, it may be wise to sit this one out.

Director Wes Anderson’s latest adventure begins at the Grand Budapest Hotel of the 1960s, long after the once-palatial establishment’s heyday. A young writer (Jude Law) decides to take a summer sabbatical to the relic in efforts to clear his mind and learn the history of the legendary hotel.

During his stay, the writer becomes aware of the presence of Mr. Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), the elderly and mysterious owner of the Grand Budapest. When the writer asks Moustafa about how he came to inherit the hotel, Moustafa shares his experiences with the hotel, dating back to the 1930s.

The rest of the film follows the misadventures of a young Mr. Moustafa (Tony Revolori), nicknamed Zero, and the Grand Budapest’s legendary concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) in the wake of the murder of one of the hotel’s most distinguished patrons. Instead of leaving her massive fortune to her family, Madame D. (Tilda Swinton) bequeaths everything, including a priceless Renaisannce painting, to Gustave.

This results in outrage in Madame’s family, leading to a magnificent chase across Europe on the brink of World War II.

Though the original works of famous 1930’s Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig inspired Anderson, the director was able to make the film his own. Anderson wrote the screenplay and incorporated many of his trademarks, featuring several extremely wide-angle shots, using a rostrum camera to bring certain objects to the forefront of his shots and quickly panning back and forth between characters in scenes of close dialogue or action. These quirks, though eccentric, moved the film along nicely.

The story was told in clever fashion. Anderson’s screenplay went back and forth between the 1960s and 1930s, but not too often to confuse the viewer. At the same time, though, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” moved a bit fast, and there were scenes during which the audience could have used more explanation. Since the film was only 100 minutes, Anderson certainly could have spared more time for more specific explanations.

Though the film had many humorous moments, they rarely varied in their composition. Most of “The Grand Budapest Hotel’s” laughs were dialogue-driven, often boasting wordplay, and if they weren’t, the jokes were specifically situational. Those who are inclined to more in-your-face kinds of gags might not be entertained by Anderson’s sense of humor.

Anderson employed an all-star cast to tell Zero and Gustave’s story. Ralph Fiennes was spectacular, as the character he created managed to be both sophisticated and bullish, showing off his versatility. Tony Revolori was fun to watch as Zero, the green lobby boy who was in over his head.

Though their roles are somewhat limited, F. Murray Abraham and Jude Law exhibited good chemistry in their scenes together. Law was good as the de facto narrator of the story; Abraham spelled out his memories of the Grand Budapest with tact.

The rest of the cast featured a wealth of big names, another characteristic of Wes Anderson films. Hollywood standouts such as Jeff Goldblum, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson are all members of the film’s ensemble. Since the cast was stockpiled with talent from top to bottom, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” was without an acting Achilles’ heel.

Overall, the film is strong in nearly every area, so long as you are inclined to this type of flick. It is not for everyone, but for those who it is, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is just that: grand.

Published on March 18, 2014 at 9:51 pm