"The Grand Budapest Hotel somewhat defies classification, beyond its resemblance to a layered Mendl’s confection, and is perhaps best exemplified by the hotel’s famed concierge, Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), a man of his own invention. Like M. Gustave, the film is impeccably presented, and perfumed heavily in an air of panache.
"The elegant fictional setting becomes the stage for a nostalgic return to a bygone era of civilized behavior -- in fact, an era that may have never existed. The marvelous script undermines Gustave’s meticulous style (with implied olfactory pleasures) and shows it to be a façade that allows him to pass among the rich and elderly, and prey upon them for tips, sexual trysts, and occasionally, priceless riches. You see, darling, for all the fineries and poetry M. Gustave enjoys, his vulgar tongue and questionable origin suggest that he can never rise above working class.
"However, for all his flaws, he is respectful and mutually respected among his well-dressed colleagues. In one of Grand Budapest’s most glorious sequences, a group of resourceful concierges dubbed The Society of the Crossed Keys, conduct an orchestrated telephone chain to pull strings and provide Gustave a swift (albeit third-class) escape from the law. Indeed, his kindness wins a devoted confidant in young protege Zero Moustafa (depicted in different life stages by Tony Revolori and F. Murray Abraham). Though only a lowly lobby boy,Zero quickly earns Gustave’s respect and eternal devotion, even during funeral art heists and mountaintop toboggan chases.
"Their continued friendship remains the heart of writer-director Wes Anderson’s picture, told through the adult Zero’s perspective. In different hands, Zero’s sad narrative about an old friend from better days may have been merely melancholic, but Anderson deftly sidesteps it with wit, lively set pieces, and whipsmart direction. Grand Budapest is a truly fun ride, as well as a compassionate one, crafted with invention and light, and wrapped in a precious pink box." ~ Patrick Williamson
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