"The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Title: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson, Stefan Zweig, Hugo Guinness
Category: comedy
Duration: 100 min
Rate: 

"You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. Indeed that's what we provide in our own modest, humble, insignificant... oh, fuck it."

Since I was going back home for a visit, when two friends of mine asked me to go out and watch "The Grand Budapest Hotel" I instantly said yes, because 1) it was a nice way to spend a night out and catch up with them and 2) because I couldn't pass the opportunity to save some money and enjoy a movie that, since its release, only got amazing feedback.

My expectations were pretty high already and even though it probably lost some of its greatness with the Italian dubbing, it's safe to say that in the end they were all exceeded by this fantastic movie.

In short, the plot could be summarized this way: The sweet old memories of the lobby boy Zero Moustafa, which involved the extraordinary tale of the life of his mentor Gustave H, the concierge of the legendary Grand Budapest hotel, told by a writer, who had the privilege to ear and record them during one of his many stays at the famous but now decadent hotel.

As you might think after reading this poor excuse of a plot summary, it might seem like a mundane tale of past events, however the way in which they are developed throughout the movie makes these adventures a mix of fun and entertainment that made me leave the cinema with a huge smile on my face and more than a couple loud laughs during the screening itself (luckily even the rest of the audience in the theater was having fun as well).

However, what I found amazing about this movie were its little details.

Firstly, the remarkable entire cast of actors, from the handsome and talented Ralph Fiennes, to the charming Jude Law who interpreted the writer of the story, to the young Tony Revolori and his surprised and everlasting wondering faces that made me laugh so much. They were the ones who made the movie hilarious and enjoyable, delivering every single line with passion and expressiveness. It almost felt like I was watching a live theater performance, a play and not a movie, and this was what made this movie unique in its own way. The cinematography was part of the magic as well. It reminded me of those old 3D pop-up books that we read in our childhood. The colors were bright and intense, almost vibrant, making all the images of the landscape almost come to life. Every real interior scene had the same color quality that gave the impression of a real stage and not just a movie scenery.

The interaction between the character were quick, clever and on point, it felt as if you didn't have time to breathe between one scene and the other in fear of losing what was going to happen next. The lines were filled with a witty sense of humor and were delivered by the actors effortlessly.

Make up and costumes were flawless as well, making this movie a rare example of impeccable perfection and attention to the details.

All in all I only have positive things to say about this movie, an amazing cast that was directed by an excellent Wes Anderson ( Moonrise Kingdom, the Royal Tenenbaums among my favourites).

I highly suggest this movie to everyone who still has the chance to go and watch it, you will not be disappointed.

Till next time,

Fred

Here the trailer