Classic Film Review #19: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Available on Disney+

I’ll be honest, I’m not as enamoured with the hipster stylings of Wes Anderson as many cineastes are, so much so that I’d say my enjoyment of his work oscillates from picture to picture. That being said, my appreciation of the eccentric auteur has heightened with time, with repeat viewings of his work often eliciting a greater reaction that my initial engagement with them did.

This isn’t the case with The Grand Budapest Hotel though, as I’ve greatly enjoyed it on every occasion I’ve viewed it. Put plainly, it’s a colourful endeavour that is carried along by a game ensemble and a strong score by the wonderful Alexander Desplant.

Anderson and long-time collaborator Hugo Guinness, inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig and their own tours through Europe, craft a typically quaint tale that is an effective tip-of-the-hat to a code of ethics that it can often feel has dissipated from contemporary life. This is personified by Ralph Fiennes' glorious hotel manager, M. Gustave, whose absolute dedication not only to his craft but to the value of human decency makes him a heart-warming focal point for this caper.

Fiennes is the beating heart of The Grand Budapest Hotel but Tony Revelori also gives a strong turn as bell-boy turned hotel proprietor Zero Moustafa, providing the audience with the youthful lenses needed to appreciate the rich nostalgia on show.

Allegedly influenced by mid-century Hollywood films and old prints of alpine resorts, The Grand Budapest is as visually arresting as all of Anderson’s meticulously crafted pictures, with the director aided ably by director of photography Robert Yeoman. Charming and well-paced throughout, it is a smart picture that perfectly encapsulates its creator’s oeuvre while eliciting a delightfully off-piste performance from its lead.