Seeing this movie among the nominees for best picture was a very pleasant surprise to me. I saw it in March 2014, so I didn’t think it would be strong enough to be remembered by the Academy almost one year later. Yet, here it is, with 9 nominations!
Without giving away too much of the plot, I can say that it tells the story and the adventures of Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero (Tony Revolori), the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. It also involves the theft and recovery of a Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune. The film has a star-studded cast, including Jude Law, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton.
It gets crazier and funnier by the minute and it certainly had my attention until the end. I’ll admit there were two scenes that could have been shorter, in my opinion, but they don’t harm the final product.
Directed by Wes Anderson (nominated for best director and for best screenplay), The Grand Budapest Hotel is a feast for the eyes: the color of the sets, the makeup and the costume are enchanting and funny at the same time. No wonder they are all nominated in their categories.
