The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014

Directed by Wes Anderson

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Willem Dafoe, and Saoirse Ronan

By Axel Larock

Last night I was entranced by the wonderful world of a Wes Anderson film. Going into this movie, I knew I already had a bias towards Wes Anderson films, so I tried to stay as equitable as possible. This was an enticing, eventful watch from beginning to end. This film had 9 Academy Award nominations and a total of 4 wins. I am excited to dive into each aspect of this film. It was such a fun watch, and I hope you guys enjoy this review!

Plot (Story Arc and Plausibility): 9 out of 10

This plot was tantalizing and eventful; there was not a minuscule dull moment. I especially enjoy the way that Wes Anderson puts his plotline into segments; this makes each part of the plot easier to understand visually. Every Wes Anderson plot line is so enjoyable and interesting, it always keeps you completely entranced. What I liked about this plot is that plausibility actually was not that high. You know what you are getting yourself into when you are watching a Wes Anderson film; however, one thing that is always completely different is the story’s plot. That’s what I think is so absolutely magical about his storytelling; it is always something completely wacky, fun, and new.

Attraction (Premise & Entertainment Value): 8 out of 10

I will say that Wes Anderson movies can certainly be an acquired taste. However, I think that this movie was made more for the general public. Some other Wes Anderson films, such as The French Dispatch 2021 seem not to be as entertaining for a typical American family. I also think that the cast of this film might pull some people in if they are familiar with some of their other work; for example, Ralph Fiennes, they might know him from Schindler’s List or Harry Potter. Overall, it achieved great awards and prestige, so I would indeed say this movie has quite a bit of attraction.

Theme (Identity & Depth): 7 out of 10

Some of the quotes from this movie I unironically want to engrave on my tombstone. The thing that entrances me the most about Anderson’s films are those crazy good monologues that bring depth to the movie. This film is probably one of his less deep ones, with a bigger comedy aspect. I liked the background of it being set during the rise of fascism before World War II. It was interesting watching the train car scenes with the border control. Overall, I wouldn’t necessarily say this movie excels in depth, but the depth that it does have shows great meaning.   

Acting (Characters & Performance): 9 out of 10

Okay, where this movie lacked in depth, it one hundred percent made up for it in this wondrous performance. Ralph Fiennes is truly the actor of the century, and not just him, this is a cast of wondrous actors and actresses. Saiorse Roan immediately makes a movie ten times better, and her performance in this, while short, was wonderful. Adrien Brody deserves every accolade he achieves; he is such a well-rounded, phenomenal actor who isn’t afraid, and you can tell when he is on screen. Don’t even get me started on Willem Defoe; he had one singular line in this whole movie, yet he gave the performance of a lifetime. You usually know what you are going to get with a Willem Defoe performance, but this was different, and it was fun; that’s what I like about Wes Anderson, he takes actors and brings them to life.

Dialogue (Storytelling & Context): 9 out of 10

I love the lines and Dialogue in this movie, there are some absolutely hilarious one-liners that shed comedy on the film. Another thing that I adore about Wes Anderson is that at the beginning of his movies, he always has a narrator explaining everything. Then it usually shows the past of the story, and then it goes into the present, which helps the watcher fully understand the context. The way the story is told is so special because it has the dialogue, but has the older main character be the narrator. The way the story unfolds is so exciting and definitely keeps the watcher wanting to know what happens next. He is a great storyteller, and this movie tells an amazing, captivating story. I can’t wait to continue my Wes Anderson journey and see more of these amazing stories.

Cinematography (Visual Language & Lighting, Setting, and Wardrobe): 10 OUT OF 10

Where do I even begin? I truly think that when I walk into heaven, it will be a Wes Anderson film. This movie is miraculously beyond beautiful, the way that Wes Anderson films his movies brings all of the joy to my life, and needs to be studied for years to come.  The beauty of this set is unmatched. Also, the costume design!!!!! I need one of those purple hotel costumes pronto! He is so good at camera placement, there is one scene where it is just a zoom-in on a brass knuckle, and it is so good I can’t even begin to fathom it. I don’t even have any descriptive words to elaborate on his use of lighting as well. He truly makes films like no other, and I will forever applaud him for it.

Editing (Pace & Effects): 10 out of 10

I group this with cinematography; the editing is so clean and precise, just like the visuals are; there isn’t a thing out of place ever while you’re watching it. I think honestly, the editing makes the movie; the pace is literally beautiful and always keeps you attracted to it. I also think the way this movie is edited shows its sophistication.  This is different. When I am watching a silly 80s thriller, I am not going to find this level of exquisite cinematography and editing. Speaking of an 80s thriller, it doesn’t keep you entranced in the same way some of those would, it keeps you entranced because of its tranquility.

Soundtrack (Sound Design & Film Score): 9 out of 10

The score and sound elements of this movie are definitely simple, yet gorgeous; sometimes simplicity can be the cause for the film to succeed. Wes Anderson rarely puts full songs into his movies, and there wasn’t one in this one, so I don’t necessarily have much to say. I will say, though, that the sound in the movie in general was really great. 

Directing (Vision & Execution): 10 out of 10

When you are a director and people hear you are making a new movie, and are automatically excited, that’s how you know that you are one of the greats.  Any expectations you have for him and any of his movies, including this one, you need to throw them out the window. While he brings the same camera style to every movie, everything he does with the movie is completely different and encapsulating. This movie was so clearly well-directed; he had a super clear vision for what he wanted to do and executed it flawlessly. He gets every single shot perfectly, looking without fail, he knows his strengths, and he does them flawlessly. Every detail was done to a tee, and good directors make sure there are no mistakes, and this is what happened in this movie. 

The “It” Factor (One-of-a-Kind & Transcendent): 8 out of 10

The it factor for this movie for me was definitely the casting; it made the movie transcend to a whole other level.  The appearances and acting performances were beyond phenomenal. There are a lot of well-known actors, but they brought something new with these roles. That’s what I have been saying about Wes, he brings light to actors that are known for doing the same character; he makes them different and interesting and new, and fresh. Casting in this movie was exceptional and fit the premise so well. Tilda Swinton is so amazing in her role, and Ralph Fiennes was scarily good. Props to the casting director, please give that wonderful lady a raise.

Final thoughts + Final rating 

This movie was so fantastic and luring, I absolutely loved it from start to finish. Wes Anderson can make a movie well, and he knows it, and that is exactly what he did with this film. Please go home and watch it. It feels long, but the ending was so amazing and thoroughly worth it. In conclusion, The Grand Budapest Hotel gets a final rating of 8.5 out of 10. I hope you had fun reading, and looking forward to my next review!