The Grand Budapest Hotel Takes the Cake

The newest product from the epicurean mind of filmmaker Wes Anderson is The Grand Budapest Hotel—a comedic drama that will make you wish you had stayed at a hotel as interesting as the one depicted on-screen. Truth be told, I'm fairly new to Anderson's films, having only seen The Darjeeling Unlimited (2007) prior to this slice of wonder, but I can say with confidence that his newest release is among his best. 

The Grand Budapest Hotel, though somewhat of a different storyline atypical of Anderson's work, holds the same stylistic premise of culture and color as the director's other works. The film takes place in a fictitious European territory, hailing in a variety of French and German influences for that touch of global wonderment Anderson likes to incorporate. One thing the eye can't help but notice, though, is how deliciously pleasing the backdrop and scenery appear.

There's a certain whimsicality about the hues and grandeur of the titular hotel that has the likeness of a pop-up children's storybook—which is ironic, seeing as the plot deals with murder, assassins, and impromptu animal cruelty—but it is a storybook setting nonetheless. Bright pinks, and blues, and reds cast an air of quirky playfulness like icing atop a smartly-prepared cake. These colors make ordinary objects and places seem all the more magical, to the point of seeming so cookie-cutter perfect that one has to wonder if some of the sets were made out of handcrafted doll house pieces.

It is evident the intent of Anderson's cinematography was to make every scene picturesque in nature. Each shot works like a moving portrait in real time, staying true to composition, color, and perspective. Suffice it to say, there will be one particular image that will stay with you once the film is over; whether it be a lonely bike outside a doorway in the snow, a pastry that looks like Wonderland tea party material, or a silhouetted mechanism used to shuttle guests up mountains, the artist inside you will be greatly appreciative.

Referring back to the storybook nature of The Grand Budapest Hotel, the film is essentially a narrative through and through (with bold illustrations mixed in for effect). After all, it is a plot inspired by a literary work, and a story within a story within a story. Once you're able to wrap this concept around your mind, the premise is much easier to follow. Anderson's writing really shines with his characters and their dialogue. The Budapest Hotel concierge M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) is just as vibrant as the film's color scheme and is responsible for a lot of the script's comedy. The young lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori), is a likeable touch of human reality who deals with both turmoil and spectacular adventures throughout the film. And let's face it: Who wouldn't want to see Willem Dafoe dressed like a 1930's Terminator with a long leather dustcoat and black motorbike? I would. 

The Grand Budapest Hotel's score, created by one of my favorite movie composers, Alexandre Desplat, does not try to compete for attention with the film's visuals but enhances the developments taking place. The theme is piano-based, feeling very appropriate if a warm female voice were to come in and speak the words, "Once upon a time, in a land far, far away..." All in all, The Grand Budapest Hotel is among the greats to be released in 2014 thus far, and another milestone in Wes Anderson's career as an auteur.