For me, it's hard to describe the work of Wes Anderson. I've heard and read other comments that describe his work as "quirky", and while that may be so, it only seems to scratch the surface. I must also admit that I'm not a Wes Anderson fan, but I'm not a hater, either. While I've seen some of his movies, I'm semi-surprised to realize that I've never formed an official opinion on his work"”until now.
Anderson's tale is a visual multi-layered novel. And at its center, it is a story about a devoted hotel concierge (Ralph Fiennes) who is framed for murder and tries to prove his innocence with the help of his loyal lobby boy (newcomer Tony Revolori). Fans of Wes Anderson should rest easy because his work still screams, "Wes!" His meticulous camerawork takes us into a world that exudes a distinctive and frivolous sensibility that you typically find in animated movies.
In some ways, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a very different movie than Anderson's last project, Moonrise Kingdom, but in other ways, they're very similar. Like Moonrise Kingdom, its emotional core centers on a relationship between two people. Despite Moonrise Kingdom's great cast, I was ultimately underwhelmed by a story that couldn't keep my interest in the motivations and arcs of its characters. In The Grand Budapest Hotel, there are moments where it began to seem that way, but it never lasted long because the movie chugs along quite nicely"”thanks to a first-rate international cast led by the deft exuberance of Ralph Fiennes.
Although, I've had more positive than negative experiences with Anderson's work, his style remains an acquired taste for me. I liked The Grand Budapest Hotel, and at times, I really liked it, but I didn't love it. And I wondered why after watching a film that had me grinning from ear to ear"”nearly all the way through.
Despite it being an ambitious project, Anderson's world-building and camerawork remains more memorable than the story and its unique-looking characters. Yes, the characters are active, but what they do on-screen isn't that interesting and so it's the work of the actors who unintentionally steal the spotlight from its plot. And while its plot benefits from having a fresh setting, its circumstances lack inventiveness. Also within its plot lie certain angles of exposition that can easily become a chore for the average viewer to keep up with. The film's sense of humor is more mildly amusing than laugh-out-loud, although; when it goes for the laugh-out-loud, it's hilarious and I wish it did it more! But don't let this deter you from taking a chance on it.
For my taste, it surpasses Moonrise Kingdom as a whole, conducting itself in a smoother, more whimsical manner. But more importantly, it continues to show us the many rooms of "The Wes Anderson Hotel""”a director in grand control of his craft.
