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    Movie Quirkiness at its Finest

    The Grand Budapest Hotel shows director Wes Anderson at his wacky best

    Alex Bentley
    Mar 14, 2014 | 12:00 am
    The Grand Budapest Hotel shows director Wes Anderson at his wacky best
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    Even if you’ve never quite understood the appeal of his films, it’s hard to knock Wes Anderson for his dedication to the craft. He’s now made eight feature films, and thanks to his unique visual flair and attention to detail, each of them is instantly recognizable as an Anderson original.

    The Anderson dial is turned to 11 in The Grand Budapest Hotel, which tracks the history of the titular hotel in the fictional republic of Zubrowka in Eastern Europe.

    Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) is one of the most memorable characters to come out of an Anderson film in quite some time.

    In particular it focuses on two men: M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), manager of the Grand Budapest during its heyday in the 1930s, and Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori/F. Murray Abraham), a lobby boy in the ’30s who goes on to own the hotel.

    The elder Moustafa tells a visiting writer (Jude Law) how he came to be the owner, and it’s a story that’s full of intrigue, humor, whimsy, death and — above all else — loyalty. It’s also one that’s enthralling from the moment he opens his mouth.

    There’s so much going on in any Wes Anderson movie that it’s difficult to pinpoint why it all works — or doesn’t, as the case may be. Although the elements he includes here don’t appear to be all that different from his previous films — eccentric characters, people moving in straight lines, random throwaway minutiae — they add up to a highly enjoyable experience.

    One deceptively simple choice exemplifies the Anderson spirit and helps set this film apart from even his previous efforts. The film is mostly set in the 1930s, but it’s bookended by scenes in 1968 and 1985, and Anderson films each one of them in the aspect ratio appropriate to that time period.

    It’s a trick that’s been done before, but it helps tremendously in setting the mood for each era. It also establishes Anderson’s movie nerd bona fides, letting the audience know they’re in the hands of someone who knows what he’s doing.

    Another difference could be the tight editing by Barney Pilling, who worked with Anderson for the first time on this film. Cutting a scene too soon or too late can be detrimental to its effect on the audience, and Pilling’s work is spot on throughout the film, helping make every line and joke land perfectly.

    Or it could be the performance of Fiennes, who makes his first appearance in an Anderson film and fits in seamlessly. His Gustave is prim and proper but also delightfully profane when the situation calls for it. This juxtaposition makes Gustave one of the most memorable single characters to come out of an Anderson film in quite some time.

    And that’s saying something when he has to compete with many other distinctive characters. Revolori makes Zero an ideal foil for Gustave, something that’s only heightened when he’s given a love interest (Saoirse Ronan). Willem Dafoe plays a particularly menacing bodyguard with an underbite, surly demeanor and fistful of rings.

    Then there’s the laundry list of actors, including many Anderson regulars, who bring something special to the film: Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel and more.

    From the smallest details to the witty dialogue to the great acting across the board, The Grand Budapest Hotel is one of Anderson’s most successful outings. It’s hilarious, melancholy and everywhere in between, and it will have fans longing for him to come back soon.

    Gustave is the ultimate charmer as manager of the Grand Budapest Hotel.

    The Grand Budapest Hotel
      
    Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
    Gustave is the ultimate charmer as manager of the Grand Budapest Hotel.
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    Movie Review

    Dark comedy Friendship covers male bonding with copious cringing

    Alex Bentley
    May 16, 2025 | 4:16 pm
    Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship
    Photo courtesy of A24
    Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship.

    Comedian Tim Robinson has gained a cult following thanks to series like Detroiters and I Think You Should Leave, in which his brand of cringe comedy is on full display. The former Saturday Night Live writer/performer has had a few small movie roles over the years, but he’s now getting his first starring role in the off-kilter Friendship.

    Robinson plays Craig, a mild-mannered suburbanite with a wife, Tami (Kate Mara) and son, Steven (Jack Dylan Grazer). Craig has a boring life that involves little more than going to his middle manager job while wearing the same clothes day after day, anticipating the next Marvel movie, and helping Tami out with her at-home floral business.

    He gets a jolt of energy when Austin (Paul Rudd) moves into the neighborhood. The two men seem to hit it off, with Austin - a weatherman at a local TV channel - even taking Craig on a couple of impromptu adventures. But when Craig commits a couple of faux pas at a group gathering at Austin’s house, their bond starts to fracture.

    Even though the film is written and directed by Andrew DeYoung, it’s clear that Robinson had a big influence on the style of comedy it features. There are no big set pieces with a slew of jokes coming one after another. Instead, the film forces the audience to try to vibe with the very particular type of wavelength it’s giving off, one that could almost be called anti-comedy for the way the laughs come out of left field.

    The 100-minute film is full of random comedic moments, like Steven kissing Tami on the lips, Craig being obsessed with his plain brown clothes, a group sing-along, and more. More often than not, it’s the way Craig reacts to both normal and abnormal situations that gets the laughs. The character is needy and oblivious, two traits that combine to make many of his actions cringeworthy.

    Perhaps most importantly for this type of movie, there are many things in the story that go unexplained or don’t make sense. Seemingly crucial elements are brought up only to fade away just as quickly, while other parts that appeared to be throwaway sections get callbacks later in the film. DeYoung and Robinson are determined to keep the audience on their toes the entire time, never knowing what to expect next.

    Robinson has the perfect face for a story like this, one that’s bland enough to blend into the background but memorable enough to sell the jokes. His demeanor is also excellent, never becoming too expressive, even when he gets angry. With long hair, a mustache, and a certain swagger, Rudd is a great complement to Robinson. Only in a film like this would an everyman like Rudd be considered the suave and cool one.

    There will be some that will see Friendship and come away wondering what the hell they just watched. But anyone who goes in knowing that they’re about to witness a comedy that challenges their sensibilities will likely have a great time.

    ---

    Friendship is now playing in select theaters.

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