Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

I saw the trailer for this a million times and my Dad told me it was brilliant but I just wasn't interested.  However, I was limited on choice on a flight so I thought I would give it a go and I am so glad I did.

I remember seeing the trailer at the cinema ages ago and my reaction being 'I HAVE to see this when it comes out!'. Then, as always, I just didn't have the time, and since then I've kept putting it off. I'm glad I finally gave it a chance!

This is the brillaint story of Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) a concierge at the famous Grand Budapest Hotel and his trusted friend and colleague Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy (Tony Revolori) through the dramas of theft (and recovery) of a priceless painting and the fight for a huge family fortune.

This is like no other film I have ever watched, although I don't think I have been a fan of Wes Anderson's work before so maybe that's why this was so unique and new to me.  The story was truly insane and crazy but it was made brilliant by Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori unique chemistry on screen, they we're really hilarious together.  In fairness, I think everything that was supposed to be serious in this film actually made me laugh, it was so deadpan!

This is the first thing I've seen of Wes Anderson's so I didn't really know what to expect, but I really loved it. The humour is brilliant in my eyes, although I can understand that others just wouldn't enjoy it at all. I may be making a silly comparison here but the film was almost a little Monty Python-esque, or at least I thought it was! 

It wasn't just Fiennes and Revolori that made this film, the ensemble cast from Jude Law to the yet again unrecognizable Tilda Swinton and too many cameos to count were all brilliant and the change of point of view kept the pace of the film up (although wouldn't be required).  The settings and set design were amazing, I found myself looking at the background in every scene to see what they had done, it looked like cartoon come to life.

I loved every member of the cast, and the cameos made me light up too. Perhaps it's a good job I didn't go to the cinema, I don't think anyone would appreciate me jumping out of my seat to shout 'BILL MURRAY' at the screen...

In all honesty, a really difficult film to review but brilliant nonetheless.  You have to see it for yourself to believe it.

The Grand Budapest Hotel was clever, colourful, and so funny, but it's not for everyone!