Wes Anderson has a very specific type of movie making style. It seems more of a theater show rather than a feature film, and the cinematography is quiet different. Its more like reading one of those pop -up-books we read in our childhood. His latest offering-TGBH -is no different and its not a bad film by any means, but not grand.
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary
concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero
Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story
involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and
the battle for an enormous family fortune -- all against the back-drop
of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent. Its part comedy and part mystery thriller at the same time, but it never takes itself too seriously. It also manages to subtly reference issues such as racial stereotyping, effect of war, religion, but never scratches beyond the surface as everything is part of a fast paced lighthearted journey. There is theft, murder, imprisonment, thrilling chases, and absurd
jailbreaks in this layered story, and the list of actors who participate
in this tomfoolery reads like a who's-who of Hollywood- with some of the directors favorite actors. Bill Murray,
Jude Law, Owen Wilson(in a blink- and-you-miss-role) and Jason Schwartzman all show up for small parts and
cameos, but it's Ralph Fiennes who steals the show as Gustave H with a superb,
delicious performance that taps into his underutilized comic skills.
He carries the weight of the film on his strong shoulders from the moment he is introduced in the story. He has a penchant for poetry, the elder residents in his hotel and a particular brand of perfume.He is so energetic the whole while and the best part is he never loses hope and is supremely confident even in adverse situations. He has to be one of the greatest British actor I have ever seen. Tony Revelori as Zero does a good job, but his role is simply as the narrator and the voice of the journey he once took with his mentor. The conversations and interactions between Zero and Gustave provides this film with a nice emotional core and it has a bit of warmth.
Now, let us discuss the issue which plagues most of Anderson's films. He has often been accused of putting style before substance, and this film is no exception. There is no denying that the film is done with an aesthetic panache which few directors in our time would be able to succeed in doing. The world he creates for this tale is like a fairy tale which transports us to Europe in the 1930s and it was so different with the war looming. But, this film was supposed to be a comedy. I was not looking forward to laugh out loud moments in this film , but even subtle comedy was missing. There were some funny interactions, but they were few and far between. The film is certainly light hearted, but not a comedy. The characters provide screwball moments of fun , but it cant be called comedy. Another aspect of the movie was being a murder mystery. Lets just say this mystery could have been solved by a seventh grader.
So, this is one of the films which looks beautiful but it flatters to deceive. I like this film, but if I have to be critical, I cant shy away from the shortcomings. Its a shame because the film really transported me to a wonderland of the Grand Budapest and I really enjoyed the ride with Zero and Gustav, but at the end of the day all these fall flat somewhere due to the lack of a solid script. This is a must see for Wes Anderson fans, at least a one time watch for the rest. You will certainly love the world of THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL.
WORTHY MENTIONS
Look out for the confession scene between Gustav and Serge X.
Johnny Depp was Wes Anderson's initial choice for the role of M. Gustave.
MY VERDICT
***1/2 - Visual treat
Now, let us discuss the issue which plagues most of Anderson's films. He has often been accused of putting style before substance, and this film is no exception. There is no denying that the film is done with an aesthetic panache which few directors in our time would be able to succeed in doing. The world he creates for this tale is like a fairy tale which transports us to Europe in the 1930s and it was so different with the war looming. But, this film was supposed to be a comedy. I was not looking forward to laugh out loud moments in this film , but even subtle comedy was missing. There were some funny interactions, but they were few and far between. The film is certainly light hearted, but not a comedy. The characters provide screwball moments of fun , but it cant be called comedy. Another aspect of the movie was being a murder mystery. Lets just say this mystery could have been solved by a seventh grader.
So, this is one of the films which looks beautiful but it flatters to deceive. I like this film, but if I have to be critical, I cant shy away from the shortcomings. Its a shame because the film really transported me to a wonderland of the Grand Budapest and I really enjoyed the ride with Zero and Gustav, but at the end of the day all these fall flat somewhere due to the lack of a solid script. This is a must see for Wes Anderson fans, at least a one time watch for the rest. You will certainly love the world of THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL.
WORTHY MENTIONS
Look out for the confession scene between Gustav and Serge X.
Johnny Depp was Wes Anderson's initial choice for the role of M. Gustave.
MY VERDICT
***1/2 - Visual treat
