The Grand Budapest Hotel
Directed By: Wes Anderson
Grade: D
For me the entire purpose of doing the Blind Spot series was to watch movies I wouldn’t otherwise. Films I had been interested in one way or another but would put off, push to the background and not bother with while watching the latest blockbuster. Mostly I’ve been happy with the films- even if I have issues with some.
But in the case of The Grand Budapest Hotel I probably should have known better. I just don’t get along with Wes Anderson films.
I’ve been interested in this because the trailers made it look so visually interesting (which is actually is) set in an old hotel that’s seen better days though the film flashes back to better days. The cast is large and fantastic (among many others we have Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray has a cameo bit and Saiorse Ronan) and it’s a murder mystery/art theft kind of deal.
The story is told by Zero who was the young lobby boy to the legendary Gustave while all this was going on and I just could not get into the story. It felt like it was dragging seriously. I hate cats (or any animal) being killed for laughs or shock value. Was that supposed to be a laugh? It was gross and I didn’t need to see it.
Did not care about the romance between Zero and Agatha.
The cast was good- as you’d expect- especially Ralph Fiennes I’m trying to think of the last time I saw him be funny and it’s probably been awhile. The film was visually cool. I could have watched it without sound but that would have defeated the benefit of the cast being good.
But it was just not my kind of hotel from the story side unfortunately and I should have known that going in. Hope springs eternal and all 🙂
Recommend: Negative. Unless you love/like Wes Anderson. If you’re looking to give him a try for the first time I would go with Fantastic Mr. Fox or Rushmore which were the two I really liked.
This a movie I have seen for a change. And I can’t remember it… 😂 I swear unless I take notes, I can happily re-watch or re-read and still be surprised. 😊
I know it was a bit weird, I remember finding the actors very good… but that’s about it. 😊 And fortunately I did forget about that cat – I’m with you on that, not cool at all.
Second film I’ve seen this year with the cat thing! I wish there were warnings!
Agreed, animal cruelty turned into ‘dark humour’ = no funny and would be useful to know about in advance.
That’s a shame, I’ve been meaning to watch this for ages and I thought it looked really good. After losing our beloved cat Moo Poo last year I really don’t want to see a cat being killed. Maybe I’ll give this one a miss.
Oh! I’m sorry about your cat. I understand about not wanting to see that. I always wonder if I’m overreacting but my family works with rescues so I’ve seen real cats in such bad situations and states at the hands of people that I have no stomach for it even if it’s fake.
I think that’s a totally normal reaction, I hate animal cruelty in films. Yay for your family – we need more people helping strays 😊.
Great review!
I didn’t mind this movie too much, but I didn’t love it the way other people did. I saw it with my cousin – who had just had dental surgery, so he was high on anesthesia – and after the movie ended, he turned to me and my other cousins and said, “That was the great movie I’ve ever seen in my life” and then a few months later, he watched it again and was like “I do not remember any of this, wtf, this is so bad” — the after-effects of the surgery and the drugs had played with his mind 😂
Too funny 🙂 Wes Anderson films would definitely be interesting to watch while high on something!