‹ All movies

The Rewatchables ·

The Grand Budapest Hotel

year 2014decade 10sdirector Wes Andersongenre Comedygenre Drama
host Chris Ryanhost Sean Fennesseyhost Andy Greenwald
All 36 categories

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award · 1:32:10

Owen Wilson improves other Anderson leads

Sean Fennessey: Owen Wilson could improve the lead of every Anderson film except this one; Gustave requires Fiennes.

Chris Ryan: Dmitri may be right that Gustave exploits wealthy elderly women; a similar figure approaching one’s own mother would cause suspicion.

The film

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Directed by Wes Anderson · Comedy

100 minutes

IMDb Letterboxd Find on JustWatch Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits ·

Ralph Fiennes M. Gustave
F. Murray Abraham Mr. Moustafa
Mathieu Amalric Serge X.
Adrien Brody Dmitri
Willem Dafoe Jopling
Jeff Goldblum Deputy Kovacs
Harvey Keitel Ludwig
Jude Law Young writer
Bill Murray M. Ivan
Edward Norton Henckels
Saoirse Ronan Agatha
Léa Seydoux Clotilde
Tilda Swinton Madame D.
Tom Wilkinson Author
Owen Wilson M. Chuck
Larry Pine Mr. Mosher

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

37:36

Half-Assed Internet Research

Oscar nominations; makeup; Fiennes preparation; painting; communal hotel; Keitel takes; Hugo Guinness

Oscar nominations; makeup; Fiennes preparation; painting; communal hotel; Keitel takes; Hugo Guinness

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 00:37:36Read transcript
  • The film received nine Oscar nominations and won costume, makeup, production design and original score.
  • Fiennes reportedly redid his confessional material after seeing Mathieu Amalric’s intensity, since they initially shot separately. — Andy Greenwald
  • Swinton’s old-age makeup reportedly received unusually generous spending compared with the production’s general thrift.
  • The replacement painting is titled Two Lesbians Masturbating. — Chris Ryan
  • Fiennes improvised Gustave’s full life story for Anderson, from a street-urchin childhood through East London. — Chris Ryan
  • Goldblum reportedly stayed for much of the production after finishing his scenes; the company lived and dined together. — Chris Ryan
  • Keitel reportedly slapped Revolori 42 times while filming the farewell. — Andy Greenwald
  • Hugo Guinness’s story collaboration is belatedly recognized; Anderson wrote the screenplay and Guinness shared the Oscar nomination.
Share this discussion More Half-Assed Internet Research answers
43:43

Most Rewatchable Scene

Alpine sequence (two choices); lobby-boy training (one choice)

Alpine sequence (two choices); lobby-boy training (one choice)

In the discussion (18)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:43Read transcript
  • Gustave greeting Madame D. establishes the profane humor with his refusal to accompany her to Lutz. — Chris Ryan
  • Gustave’s disgust at Madame D.’s nail polish interrupts her sincere fear of death and becomes a favorite comic moment.
  • Zero’s lobby-boy training reveals the hotel through Gustave’s rapid approvals and precise routine. — Chris Ryan
  • The train encounter introduces Henckels and “Keep your hands off my lobby boy.” — Chris Ryan
  • The will reading and Dmitri’s entrance combine the painting inheritance, insults and Gustave’s reactions. — Chris Ryan
  • Gustave serving prison mush and explaining his new friendships to Zero reveal his social adaptability.
  • Kovacs refusing Dmitri and reacting to his cat being thrown out the window are nominated. — Chris Ryan
  • Jopling pursuing Kovacs through transport and the museum is a major sequence. — Chris Ryan
  • The prison break is admired for elaborate design and practical camera ingenuity.
  • The Society of the Crossed Keys montage delights through Murray, Fisher Stevens, Balaban and Waris cameos. — Chris Ryan
  • The Alpine pursuit combines cable cars, monks, skiing and bobsledding before leading toward the hotel shootout. — Chris Ryan
  • The ending returns through the nested narrators, revealing loss and Zero’s preservation of the hotel as the place where he and Agatha were happy. — Chris Ryan
  • The post-departure hiring conversation, M. Mosher’s window appearance and shoeshine-boy detail are favored small moments. — Sean Fennessey
  • Keitel’s prison-break plan and drawing receive special praise for understated comedy and a Winston Wolf-like presence. — Sean Fennessey
  • Lobby-boy training is one final choice, favoring intimate comedy over the spectacular Alpine chase. — Sean Fennessey
  • The Alpine chase is another final choice as a self-contained example of the film’s virtuosity. — Andy Greenwald
  • The Alpine sequence’s repeated questions and intense confessional exchange add comedy to its miniature spectacle. — Andy Greenwald
  • A second final vote chooses the Alpine chase, making it the majority choice over lobby-boy training. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More Most Rewatchable Scene answers
51:15

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

Carousel; pastry truck; ghost staff; dining table; elevator; Dmitri pan; prison ladder

Carousel; pastry truck; ghost staff; dining table; elevator; Dmitri pan; prison ladder

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:51:15Read transcript
  • The ladder descending into the prison-break frame is singled out. — Chris Ryan
  • Agatha’s carousel-lit close-up is the initial consensus favorite. — Chris Ryan
  • Zero and Agatha surrounded by pink Mendl’s boxes in the truck is another favorite. — Andy Greenwald
  • The ghostly formal staff portrait after Gustave’s death delivers a strong emotional blow. — Andy Greenwald
  • The pullback from Mustafa and the author into the darkened hotel makes the space feel like a cemetery and a stage.
  • The carefully arranged elevator portraits are admired for their exact positioning. — Chris Ryan
  • A camera pan arriving ahead of Brody’s running character demonstrates how the movement contributes comedy. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot answers
56:05

What’s Aged the Best?

Anderson; Fiennes; small roles; Gustave; Brody; accents; Swinton; Revolori; meals; palette

Anderson; Fiennes; small roles; Gustave; Brody; accents; Swinton; Revolori; meals; palette

In the discussion (15)
Approx. transcript time · 00:56:05Read transcript
  • The film confirms Anderson’s historical stature through commercial success, awards and a defining central performance. — Sean Fennessey
  • Fiennes’s versatility rarely receives a full reputational reassessment with each new film. — Andy Greenwald
  • Fiennes can play villains, honorable authority figures and small character roles.
  • Fiennes’s melancholy beneath the comedy is essential to the film’s success. — Andy Greenwald
  • The film sits within an extraordinary decade of Fiennes performances, alongside regular stage work. — Sean Fennessey
  • Small roles get remarkable impact from minimal screen time; Wilkinson’s contribution is praised before a later reservation is previewed. — Chris Ryan
  • Gustave’s flexible principles are funny: grand vows quickly yield to practical needs, selling the painting or enjoying the money. — Chris Ryan
  • Gustave asking Henckels about his mother is a favored line. — Chris Ryan
  • Sleeping with wealthy older women is playfully defended as a strategy. — Andy Greenwald
  • Brody’s profanity and ordinary New York delivery are singled out.
  • The cast’s varied natural accents, including Ronan’s Irish voice, work within the invented setting. — Andy Greenwald
  • Swinton’s elderly Madame D. performance and makeup are praised.
  • Revolori’s untrained quality suits a novice lobby boy rather than detracting from the performance. — Chris Ryan
  • Small frequent meals for stamina is an appealing line or principle. — Chris Ryan
  • The film’s palette had a lasting influence on graphic design and fashion.
Share this discussion More What’s Aged the Best? answers
1:13:58

The Den of Thieves Benihana Award for Scene-Stealing Location

1960s hotel; funicular; department store

1960s hotel; funicular; department store

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:13:58Read transcript
  • The 1960s hotel’s sparse brutalist version is one choice.
  • The Alpine cable cars and hotel funicular are alternatives. — Sean Fennessey
  • The department store transformed into the hotel and Dresden’s museum location are further candidates. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More The Den of Thieves Benihana Award for Scene-Stealing Location answers
1:16:40

The Slow Ride / Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness Award for Best Needle Drop

Opening Swiss yodeling; Desplat’s Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak (score)

Opening Swiss yodeling; Desplat’s Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak (score)

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:16:40Read transcript
  • The opening Swiss folk yodeling is selected, with the group and song pronunciation uncertain.
  • Avoiding an anachronistic Kinks or Ramones song is praised as aesthetically coherent. — Andy Greenwald
  • Desplat’s Canto at Gabelmeister’s Peak is offered, with acknowledgment that original score may fall outside the category. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More The Slow Ride / Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness Award for Best Needle Drop answers
1:18:19

The Big Kahuna Burger Award for Best Use of Food and Drink

Mendl’s pastry; dinner; mush; champagne

Mendl’s pastry; dinner; mush; champagne

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:18:19Read transcript
  • The Mendl’s pastry that prison guards find too beautiful to cut is the leading choice. — Chris Ryan
  • Tools concealed in pastry shapes are admired as a clever escape device.
  • The duck, rabbit and lamb dinner is another nominee, though eating all three at once seems daunting.
  • The Mendl’s pastry is identified as courtesan au chocolat. — Andy Greenwald
  • Prison mush is defended as nourishing and consequential to the escape. — Andy Greenwald
  • Bringing superior champagne rather than drinking the train’s poor wine is another choice. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More The Big Kahuna Burger Award for Best Use of Food and Drink answers
1:20:22

Mallory Rubin Award: Did This Movie Need a Better Sex Scene?

No

No

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:22Read transcript
  • No improvement seems necessary beyond Gustave receiving oral sex from an elderly woman. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More Mallory Rubin Award: Did This Movie Need a Better Sex Scene? answers
1:20:43

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Thin romance debated; Serge X’s sister; more Léa Seydoux wanted

Thin romance debated; Serge X’s sister; more Léa Seydoux wanted

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:20:43Read transcript
  • The Zero–Agatha romance can seem lightly developed, but their shared isolation and its lifelong importance to Zero are defended.
  • Serge X’s sister subplot is the preferred weak link; the name is corrected from Kovacs’s sister, and the severed-head misdirection is not considered convincing. — Andy Greenwald
  • More Seydoux scenes would be welcome. — Sean Fennessey
Share this discussion More The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film answers
1:23:00

What’s Aged the Worst?

Work hours; service; poetry; shallow Anderson criticism; concierges; fascism; illness

Work hours; service; poetry; shallow Anderson criticism; concierges; fascism; illness

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:23:00Read transcript
  • Working six-and-a-half days from 5a.m. to midnight is an exhausting standard.
  • Modern hotel service does not seem to match the idealized film version, though the historical comparison is uncertain. — Chris Ryan
  • The spontaneous romantic poetry is considered intentionally terrible and funny. — Chris Ryan
  • Dismissing Anderson as merely an affected stylist is rejected as a lingering bad take. — Andy Greenwald
  • The concierge profession’s reduced distinctiveness is debated, with valuable local and language assistance defended.
  • Fascism is condemned, with a dark joke that its persistence complicates the category.
  • Scribe’s fever, understood as depressive writer’s block, remains an unwelcome problem.
  • Confidence that modern medicine would swiftly cure the fatal illness has aged badly after pandemic experience. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More What’s Aged the Worst? answers
1:29:24

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Dafoe closest; heightened acting fits the film

Dafoe closest; heightened acting fits the film

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:24Read transcript
  • Dafoe is the closest choice, with Brody also mentioned; both are fulfilling the film’s deliberately heightened style. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award answers
1:29:55

Is There a Better Title for This Movie?

No

No

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:29:55Read transcript
Share this discussion More Is There a Better Title for This Movie? answers
1:30:10

The Neil McCauley “A Book about Metals” Award for Best Line from the Movie

Faint glimmers of civilization… Oh, fuck it

Faint glimmers of civilization… Oh, fuck it

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 01:30:10Read transcript
  • “Take your hands off my lobby boy” is a choice.
  • The speech about faint glimmers of civilization ending in “Oh, fuck it” is another preferred choice.
  • “I go to bed with all my friends” and the cat-out-the-window reaction are recalled. — Andy Greenwald
  • The abrupt shift from mortality to “She was dynamite in the sack” is enjoyed. — Andy Greenwald
  • The fillet-versus-cheaper-cuts speech is another candidate.
  • The poetry abruptly interrupted by “Holy shit, you got him!” is a favorite. — Andy Greenwald
  • Zero recounting torture followed by “Well, you know the drill then. Zip it” is nominated.
  • Gustave complimenting Madame D.’s corpse and asking for the morgue’s cream is another choice. — Sean Fennessey
  • The chilled-water request and the joke about being a straight man are also recalled. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More The Neil McCauley “A Book about Metals” Award for Best Line from the Movie answers
1:32:10

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Owen Wilson improves other Anderson leads; Dmitri is right, disputed

Owen Wilson improves other Anderson leads; Dmitri is right, disputed

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:32:10Read transcript
  • Owen Wilson could improve the lead of every Anderson film except this one; Gustave requires Fiennes. — Sean Fennessey
  • Dmitri may be right that Gustave exploits wealthy elderly women; a similar figure approaching one’s own mother would cause suspicion. — Chris Ryan
  • That suspicion is countered by Gustave’s long relationship, possible love and Dmitri’s possessiveness; simply honoring the painting bequest might have avoided the conflict.
Share this discussion More The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award answers
1:32:48

The Vincent Chase Award: Are We Sure This Character Is Actually Good at Their Job?

The author questioned

The author questioned

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:32:48Read transcript
  • The author’s competence is questioned because he claims stories merely find him rather than showing substantial work.
Share this discussion More The Vincent Chase Award: Are We Sure This Character Is Actually Good at Their Job? answers
1:33:04

Recasting Couch

Hurt; Gambon; Stamp; Wilson; Schreiber; Wright; del Toro

Hurt; Gambon; Stamp; Wilson; Schreiber; Wright; del Toro

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:33:04Read transcript
Share this discussion More Recasting Couch answers
1:38:19

Casting What-Ifs

Lansbury; Depp rumor denied; Norton’s versatility

Lansbury; Depp rumor denied; Norton’s versatility

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:38:19Read transcript
  • Angela Lansbury was intended for Madame D. but a stage commitment to Driving Miss Daisy caused a scheduling conflict. — Chris Ryan
  • Anderson denied a rumor that Johnny Depp was considered for Gustave. — Chris Ryan
  • Norton could choose a role except Gustave, which was reserved for Fiennes; Norton would otherwise have pursued it. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More Casting What-Ifs answers
1:40:35

The Rick Dalton Award for the Greatest Fucking Acting I’ve Ever Seen

Goldblum’s cat reaction and legal manner; Fiennes running

Goldblum’s cat reaction and legal manner; Fiennes running

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:40:35Read transcript
  • Goldblum’s response to the cat’s death and effortless delivery of legal complications are praised. — Sean Fennessey
  • Gustave abruptly fleeing when he realizes he will be arrested is a perfectly timed physical-comedy moment. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More The Rick Dalton Award for the Greatest Fucking Acting I’ve Ever Seen answers
1:42:56

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Larry Pine

Larry Pine

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:42:56Read transcript
Share this discussion More The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award answers
1:42:56

Kyle Lowry Award for Best Seventh Man

Jeff Goldblum (two choices); Harvey Keitel (one choice)

Jeff Goldblum (two choices); Harvey Keitel (one choice)

The panel proposes a new category here.

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:42:56Read transcript
  • A new Kyle Lowry Best Seventh Man category separates substantial supporting roles from cameos: Norton, Keitel and Goldblum are candidates. — Chris Ryan
  • Keitel is one choice, especially his pleased reaction to praise of his drawing.
  • Goldblum receives two choices for casting a large shadow with a small role.
Share this discussion More Kyle Lowry Award for Best Seventh Man answers
1:44:20

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Lucas Hedges

Lucas Hedges

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:44:20Read transcript
Share this discussion More The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance answers
1:44:55

What Would Tony Romo’s Director’s Commentary for This Movie Sound Like?

Doris Burke

Doris Burke

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:44:55Read transcript
  • Doris Burke-style narration celebrates Agatha’s pastry training and young love, with playful acknowledgment that the impression is too aggressive. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More What Would Tony Romo’s Director’s Commentary for This Movie Sound Like? answers
1:47:20

Apex Mountain

Wes Anderson, qualified

Wes Anderson, qualified

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:47:20Read transcript
  • The mustache ensemble is considered against Cruising and Glory without a settled answer.
  • Beautiful boys approaching adulthood is rejected in favor of Stand by Me, with Cruising joked about.
  • Anderson’s peak is initially qualified but ultimately supported because the success secured room for many future movies.
  • Fiennes’s career opportunity is placed at The English Patient rather than equating this favorite performance with peak influence.
  • Revolori’s initial yes is revised to Spider-Man.
  • Other actors and fictional Eastern European cities are not affirmed; Sokovia is the joking alternative.
Share this discussion More Apex Mountain answers
1:49:54

Cruise or Hanks?

Hanks

Hanks

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:49:54Read transcript
  • Hanks is selected because he has worked with Anderson; Cruise is imagined as Gustave, Dmitri or Henckels without replacing that choice. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More Cruise or Hanks? answers
1:51:01

Best Race Horse Name from This Movie

Society of the Crossed Keys; Boy with Apple; post-rock titles

Society of the Crossed Keys; Boy with Apple; post-rock titles

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:01Read transcript
  • Society of the Crossed Keys is a band-name choice. — Chris Ryan
  • Concierge Freed from Shackles, Stack of Filthy Carpets and a Starving Goat, A Tricky War, and Gunter Was Slain in the Catacombs resemble post-rock track titles. — Andy Greenwald
  • Boy with Apple is the horse-name choice. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More Best Race Horse Name from This Movie answers
1:51:31

Picking Nits

Lamb; more Agatha; painting value

Lamb; more Agatha; painting value

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:31Read transcript
  • Lamb appears at dinner despite not being ordered. — Chris Ryan
  • More Agatha and Zero scenes would be welcome, though their secondary role may be deliberate. — Andy Greenwald
  • Boy with Apple’s artistic greatness is questioned. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More Picking Nits answers
1:53:08

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Untouchable; Anderson-led hotel anthology considered

Untouchable; Anderson-led hotel anthology considered

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:53:08Read transcript
  • Untouchable is the initial answer; a hotel anthology across different years is considered only if Anderson could sustain the style himself. — Sean Fennessey
Share this discussion More Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake answers
1:54:28

Is This Movie Better With…?

Wayne Jenkins as Henckels; Byron Mayo with Madame D

Wayne Jenkins as Henckels; Byron Mayo with Madame D

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:54:28Read transcript
Share this discussion More Is This Movie Better With…? answers
1:55:19

Just One Oscar

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:55:19Read transcript
  • Ralph Fiennes is chosen over Anderson, whose consistently accomplished films make this singular performance the stronger choice.
Share this discussion More Just One Oscar answers
1:55:57

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Career ladder; rudeness; Soviet-era hotel; Madame D’s will

Career ladder; rudeness; Soviet-era hotel; Madame D’s will

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:55:57Read transcript
  • Lobby boy is treated as the starting point before becoming concierge.
  • Rudeness as an expression of fear is affirmed. — Andy Greenwald
  • The hotel’s survival under socialism is explained through Zero surrendering his fortune and the tradition of retaining tourist hotels; bugged rooms are speculation.
  • Madame D’s secret ownership and conditional second will explain Gustave inheriting the hotel after her murder. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More Probably Unanswerable Questions answers
1:58:20

Best Double Feature

The Silence; Hail, Caesar!; The Lady Vanishes; The Earrings of Madame de…; Grand Hotel; Avengers: Age of Ultron (joke...
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Silence
Hail, Caesar!
The Lady Vanishes
The Earrings of Madame de…
Grand Hotel
Avengers: Age of Ultron
The Remains of the Day
In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:58:20Read transcript
  • The Silence and Hail, Caesar! are proposed.
  • The Lady Vanishes is proposed.
  • The Earrings of Madame de… is recommended for its camera movement and influence. — Sean Fennessey
  • Grand Hotel is recommended; its year is corrected from 1936 to 1932. — Sean Fennessey
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron is jokingly proposed as a post-Soviet counterpart about a butler who stops saying yes. — Andy Greenwald
  • The Remains of the Day is chosen for its institution persisting through political change. — Andy Greenwald
Share this discussion More Best Double Feature answers
2:00:38

The Andy and Red – Zihuatanejo Award for What Happens the Next Day?

Ending supplies the future

Ending supplies the future

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 02:00:38Read transcript
  • The ending already supplies the future; narrator reliability is then playfully questioned.
Share this discussion More The Andy and Red – Zihuatanejo Award for What Happens the Next Day? answers
2:01:03

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Boy with Apple; champagne and table settings; Mendl’s box; funicular; slippers

Boy with Apple; champagne and table settings; Mendl’s box; funicular; slippers

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 02:01:03Read transcript
  • Boy with Apple is the obvious choice despite earlier criticism.
  • The champagne split and whole table settings are desired.
  • A Mendl’s box is selected.
  • The funicular is desired for a residence.
  • Dmitri’s red slippers prompt another joking comparison with him. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie? answers
2:01:42

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

The cheaper cuts are the most flavorful

The cheaper cuts are the most flavorful

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 02:01:42Read transcript
  • The cheaper cuts are the most flavorful. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson answers
2:01:42

Who Won the Movie?

Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 02:01:42Read transcript
  • Wes Anderson is the final choice, while Fiennes remains the hypothetical Oscar recipient. — Chris Ryan
  • Anderson’s fully realized vision earns another explicit choice; art and aesthetic principles are also proposed. — Chris Ryan
  • A further Anderson agreement emphasizes beauty and satire serving the emotional blow of Gustave’s death. — Andy Greenwald
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Wes Anderson
Speaker not identified
Wes Anderson
Speaker not identified
Wes Anderson
Share this discussion More Who Won the Movie? answers
2:02:59

Producer review

Film-school influence; satisfying pace and humor; Fiennes; style integral to character

Film-school influence; satisfying pace and humor; Fiennes; style integral to character

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 02:02:59Read transcript
  • The film dominated film-school cinematography exercises because its symmetrical framing and dolly shots seemed reproducible. — Chris Ryan
  • It prompted exploration of Anderson’s earlier films. — Chris Ryan
  • Its pace, energy and overt humor make it especially satisfying; Fiennes gives a favorite performance. — Chris Ryan
  • The controlled style feels integral to Gustave and the plot, reducing the irritation some feel with Anderson’s other films. — Chris Ryan
Share this discussion More Producer review answers

More from the conversation

The film combines fascism, young love and service work with an accessible adventure, comic set pieces and an exceptional lead performance; its large commercial success remains surprising.
Approx. transcript time · 00:03:21Read transcript
The ornate presentation can appear to soften the treatment of fascism, but it also asks what beauty and civility are worth preserving against destruction.
Approx. transcript time · 00:04:36Read transcript
The film marks a shift from nostalgia for childhood toward mourning a lost culture and historical promise.
Approx. transcript time · 00:05:13Read transcript
Anderson’s nested, theatrical constructions maintain distance while concealing traumatized emotional cores; this film’s profanity and violence also make it especially funny.
Approx. transcript time · 00:06:43Read transcript
Later Anderson films are admired as architectural reconstructions of beloved forms, though they may require repeat viewing to connect emotionally.
Approx. transcript time · 00:08:58Read transcript
Asteroid City’s quarantine and reflection become more affecting on rewatch; Grand Budapest’s release before later rightward politics is considered resonant.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:16Read transcript
Fantastic Mr. Fox is an important precursor: miniature worlds, stop-motion techniques and Dafoe’s villainy reappear in service of a larger emotional story.
Approx. transcript time · 00:11:12Read transcript
The period-adventure scale distinguishes this film from smaller Anderson stories, while the technical precision serves the narrative.
Approx. transcript time · 00:12:19Read transcript
Bottle Rocket and Rushmore form an indie first phase; Tenenbaums, Life Aquatic and Darjeeling a second phase of increasingly familiar archetypes and divided reception.
Approx. transcript time · 00:12:51Read transcript
Anderson’s aesthetic strongly shaped fans, including Life Aquatic costumes and musical discovery, while he continued evolving within his recognizable style.
Approx. transcript time · 00:14:13Read transcript
Fantastic Mr. Fox is proposed as the turning point toward an adult perspective, more convincing than earlier conspicuous profanity or nudity.
Approx. transcript time · 00:14:57Read transcript
The earlier angst of Rushmore and Darjeeling is missed, although Gustave retains some dissatisfaction with the world.
Approx. transcript time · 00:15:32Read transcript
Gustave’s manners limit his resistance and contribute to his fate; the absence of earlier anger is questioned in Anderson’s later work.
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:04Read transcript
Fiennes fills a tightly prescribed role with extraordinary life and is proposed as the best performance in an Anderson film.
Approx. transcript time · 00:16:51Read transcript
Anderson’s male archetype evolves from a flamboyant, heartbroken father figure toward Gustave’s more complex loneliness, captured by eating alone.
Approx. transcript time · 00:17:38Read transcript
Gustave is read as Anderson’s self-portrait, yearning for a civilization that may never have existed; practical Zero supplies a counterpoint.
Approx. transcript time · 00:19:23Read transcript
The film asks what an aesthete contributes in a broken world through attention to art, beauty and ceremony.
Approx. transcript time · 00:20:39Read transcript
Every designed detail rewards revisiting, even without dialogue; practical filmmaking behind the mountain chase illustrates tangible movie magic.
Approx. transcript time · 00:21:47Read transcript
The apparent private dollhouse requires vast real-world collaboration, making the precision a collective achievement.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:33Read transcript
Unlike immersive visual masters, Anderson deliberately exposes artifice through camera movements that anticipate actors and resemble opening a pop-up book.
Approx. transcript time · 00:22:51Read transcript
The artificial world makes sudden human loss more powerful for one reading, while another questions the selective distance from Agatha’s and the infant’s deaths.
Approx. transcript time · 00:24:57Read transcript
Nested narrators emphasize storytelling’s subjectivity: a girl reads an author’s account of an older Zero recounting his youth; omissions disclose enduring grief.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:51Read transcript
Stefan Zweig’s writing informs the film’s framing devices and is honored by the dedication; the speaker acknowledges incomplete familiarity with the named works.
Approx. transcript time · 00:28:05Read transcript
The World of Yesterday informs the sense of a cosmopolitan Jewish intellectual life and promised freedom disrupted by war.
Approx. transcript time · 00:28:49Read transcript
Zweig’s hopes for peace and Brazilian refuge collapse into despair; his intellectual freedom contrasts with the historical rupture experienced by European émigré filmmakers.
Approx. transcript time · 00:30:53Read transcript
Lubitsch and early Hitchcock provide a stronger cinematic model for the film’s fast-moving comic adventure than a literal Zweig adaptation.
Approx. transcript time · 00:31:51Read transcript
A $25million film earning $174million is admired as an efficient model, sustained by actors eager to join Anderson’s repertory and skilled production dealmaking.
Approx. transcript time · 00:33:09Read transcript
The March release unexpectedly grew into a long international run and awards contender rather than following a planned Oscar-season strategy.
Approx. transcript time · 00:35:00Read transcript
The inviting pink palette, younger audiences and cultural timing are possible explanations for the film’s unusually broad success.
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:00Read transcript
Anderson appears focused on making the next film rather than declaring any completed one his masterpiece.
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:46Read transcript
Fiennes’s omission from the actor nominations is criticized against the actual field; his Schindler’s List nomination is corrected from a mistaken win.
Approx. transcript time · 00:37:36Read transcript
Class, refugee status, service work, queerness and Jewish historical experience are read as deliberately present beneath the fairy-tale surface.
Approx. transcript time · 00:39:54Read transcript
Color and camera distance distinguish lively working people from wealthy fascists in dark clothing.
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:23Read transcript
Gustave’s taste separates cultural refinement from money and social rank, illustrated by his judgment of the paintings.
Approx. transcript time · 00:42:08Read transcript
The heroes’ curiosity and creativity contrast with authoritarian aesthetics, while the designed fascist insignia complicates the division.
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:13Read transcript
The Kovacs pursuit is linked to Hitchcock’s Torn Curtain; wider borrowing is defended as a productive conversation with film history.
Approx. transcript time · 00:49:25Read transcript
Hitchcock’s prewar films, especially The Lady Vanishes, provide models of looming danger and human stories contained in hotels, trains and rooms.
Approx. transcript time · 00:50:23Read transcript
The film’s tightly interlocking sequences make choosing isolated rewatchable scenes difficult.
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:52Read transcript
Fiennes’s sustained run across film and stage is celebrated, including In Bruges, Harry Potter, Coriolanus, Skyfall, A Bigger Splash and Hail, Caesar!
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:43Read transcript
Allowing native accents suits the fictional country and porous-border setting; a mixed approach might have been less coherent.
Approx. transcript time · 01:02:38Read transcript
Sokovia, Ultron and Spader casting turn into an extended joking crossover tangent.
Approx. transcript time · 01:03:40Read transcript
Anderson’s precision may work best with untrained young performers or highly accomplished actors, while performers dependent on improvisation may struggle.
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:10Read transcript
Recognizable screen personas help Anderson’s veteran actors work within his exacting style, opposite inexperienced children.
Approx. transcript time · 01:07:29Read transcript
Small frequent meals become a tangent about food as fuel versus pleasure, with pastries and sandwiches offered as a counterargument.
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:06Read transcript
Robert Yeoman’s ability to move between Anderson’s formal precision and mainstream comedy is admired.
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:25Read transcript
Funicular trips in Norway and Los Angeles prompt travel memories, including Tony Gilroy’s endorsement.
Approx. transcript time · 01:15:10Read transcript
MCU crossover jokes recur around the score and food categories.
Approx. transcript time · 01:17:50Read transcript
The elaborate meal prompts memories of a bachelor dinner with unusual meats and jokes about redoing the event.
Approx. transcript time · 01:18:46Read transcript
Léa Seydoux’s limited presence and Clotilde’s betrayal invite jokes about the actress’s screen roles and character survival.
Approx. transcript time · 01:22:29Read transcript
Concierges’ modern usefulness is debated: internet search replaces some tasks, but local knowledge and reservations in unfamiliar languages remain valuable.
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:26Read transcript
Personal hotel experiences distinguish elite access from generic pamphlets and warmly remembered hand-drawn local directions.
Approx. transcript time · 01:26:12Read transcript
The author’s pursuit of Zero’s story may itself reveal his romanticism, despite presenting storytelling as something that simply happens to him.
Approx. transcript time · 01:33:52Read transcript
The author snapping at his grandson prompts a criticism of his parenting and a contemporary political comparison.
Approx. transcript time · 01:34:59Read transcript
Gustave’s pursuit of wealthy patrons is defended as redistributive justice for those serving the rich, complicating the con-artist accusation.
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:33Read transcript
Recasting earlier Anderson films with newer repertory members such as Hanks or Robbie is proposed as a future exercise.
Approx. transcript time · 01:50:25Read transcript
The romance is defended as deliberately secondary to love of art, places, eras and performance.
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:46Read transcript
The value of Boy with Apple versus the replacement painting becomes a hypothetical contemporary-art-market question.
Approx. transcript time · 01:52:12Read transcript
An erratic Rivian driver illustrates the idea that rudeness expresses fear.
Approx. transcript time · 01:56:15Read transcript
A childhood trip behind the Iron Curtain to Budapest and Slovakia prompts sleeper-agent jokes.
Approx. transcript time · 01:57:40Read transcript
Desmond Ryan’s enthusiasm for Merchant Ivory films caused a family disagreement about Heat; another father called him an anglophile.
Approx. transcript time · 01:59:48Read transcript
Anderson’s controlled style fits Gustave especially well; Life Aquatic’s distance from actual Cousteau filmmaking is contrasted.
Approx. transcript time · 02:04:45Read transcript
Living in Paris may give Anderson a romantic outsider’s perspective.
Approx. transcript time · 02:05:54Read transcript