The Grand Budapest Hotel

"Why do you want to be a lobby boy?"

"Well, who wouldn't - at the Grand Budapest, sir. It's an institution."

A Young Writer (Law) travels to the Grand Budapest Hotel in 1968 and meets the owner Mr. Moustafa (Abraham) who tells the story of how he came to own the hotel.

In 1932, Zero (Revolori) is hired as the lobby boy at the Grand Budapest Hotel.  The hotel is frequented by wealthy clients who expect to hotel to cater to their every whim.  Overseeing every aspect of the hotel is concierge M. Gustave (Fiennes) who takes Zero under his wing.  The death of their oldest and wealthiest client, Madame Celine Villeneuve Desgoffe und Taxis (Tilda Swinton), sets a target on Gustave as the world around him changes.


Director Wes Anderson has a distinct style: it is easy to pick out his films.  This film falls into his usual wheelhouse, but takes it up a notch.  He is joined by many of his regular actors, while giving new faces a chance to shine.

You need to pay attention from the beginning to catch all of the little details of the story.  The story / screenplay, written by Wes Anderson, is inspired by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig.  Zweig was a popular author in the 1920s and 1930s, which is the time period for the main part of the story.

The film is very colorful.  Every aspect is bright and pops and is very well-thought out.  Every character has a distinctive personality and style.  And the characters are entertaining, they keep you guessing.  Ralph Fiennes owns the film as Gustave.  He is charismatic and draws your attention.  He has excellent chemistry with Tony Revolori.  Revolori holds his own on screen with his talented co-stars.  There are so many funny and memorable characters in the film, without feeling like it's bloated.

This is Anderson's first film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film.  The film is nominated for 8 other Oscars, along with numerous other awards.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) 100 minutes
Rating: R for language, some sexual content and violence
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Ralph Fiennes as M. Gustave
Tony Revolori as Zero
Adrien Brody as Dmitri Desgoffe und Taxis
Willem Dafoe as J.G. Jopling
Jeff Goldblum as Deputy Vilmos Kovacs
Saoirse Ronan as Agatha
Edward Norton as Inspector Henckels
F. Murray Abraham as Mr. Moustafa
Mathieu Amalric as Serge X.
Jude Law as Young Writer