Wes Anderson’s new film “The Grand Budapest Hotel,”an aesthetic wonder, dazzles viewers with big stars and fabulous cinematography, yet proves to be another vapid disappointment.
The film is told from the perspective of an author,through a letter recounting a trip he had to the Grand Budapest Hotel in 1968. The author meets the owner and listens to the tale of how he came in possession of the hotel.
His story begins in 1932 in a fictitious European alpine state, where he worked as a lobby boy in the Grand Budapest Hotel under a famous concierge. The concierge is framed for a murder and the majority of the film is about proving his innocence.
The cinematography was highly attractive, with shots full of vibrant color schemes. Like all Anderson films, each shot was jam- packed with many carefully placed objects, creating a fantastic visual theme.
Though visually stunning, the film still suffers in other categories. The cast, consisting of Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, and several of Anderson’s veteran actors, made the film seem promising.
All the acting was well done, but it wasn’t enough to salvage the work. The characters did not connect very well and overall, the film was too concentrated on its own quirky nature.
Anderson’s earlier works featured characters who had problems that were either believable or the audience could relate to.
This film attempts a “rags to riches” appeal, but it feels dry. The dialogue endlessly reinforces to the viewer that they are watching a quirky film, out of fear that they might forget.
Though visually stunning, the film fell short in many ways. If you need to have an entrancing, or at least captivating, plot or well-written characters to have a fulfilling cinematic experience, I would not recommend this film.
brookecelestelavite@yahoo.com
