benhack’s review published on Letterboxd:
M. Gustave: If I die first, and I almost certainly will, you will be my sole heir. There's not much in the kitty, except a set of ivory-backed hairbrushes and my library of romantic poetry, but when the time comes, these will be yours. Along with whatever we haven't already spent on whores and whiskey.
The Grand Budapest is very much an accumulation of various different variables that lapse into one cohesive and perfectly rounded story.
Much like Anderson's previous bodies of work, the grand Budapest hotel revolves almost always revolves around the protagonist M.Gustave, in which he very much seems like the intangible force behind progressing the plot onwards.
This credit must go to Ralph Fiennes stellar performance as well as Anderson's erection for curating the character but also allowing leverage for Fiennes to be able to morph how he thought Gustave should've been portrayed from script onto screen. Gustave is presented with a very lavish but also arrogant attitude that usually leads him to become susceptible to external factors spiralling him down into various predicaments with the fellow characters from the star persona ensemble.
on the topic of the all star pedigree ensemble, it can't go without mention that while everyone plays relatively minor roles, because of the greater emphasis on of course Gustave's and zero's narrative arc, everyone helps to develop the aesthetically colourful and vibrant world that Anderson has pitched to a degree in which they all feel as if they belong in their characters creating an aura of surrealism that's all contrasted and gravitated by realism.
this film could definitely be high in contention for being wes's best project yet to date, as it very much seems to be well refined and very much visceral in executing the concept. it also obviously can't go without mention about Anderson's definitive behind the camera work seemingly incorporating both perfect symmetry within each frame as well as relishing in a frequent use of dolly shots which could be interpreted as a visual metaphor to denote the plot progressing.
this film alludes to a very satisfying denouement within the epilogue which I'll admit I was quite weary about how it might've concluded.
the grand Budapest is definitely one of the must abundantly charming as well as engrossing movies I think I've ever seen, all praise due to Anderson's prominent vision for this masterclass.
another ode to another Anderson staple is a prominent colour palette that all accent one another and is just words can convey how luscious this film is to look at
happy 51st birthday wes!