Wes Anderson has one of the most distinct filmmaking visions in Hollywood today. Breaking out in 1996 with Bottle Rocket, he quickly established himself as an auteur and developed his distinct style. His later releases: Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, and The Life Aquatic, proved he had a knack for comedy, directing, writing, and vivid set design.
Although all his films are individually distinct and impressive, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Royal Tenenbaums are generally considered his best films. The former was nominated for an Oscar, but the latter brought Anderson fully into his own as a filmmaker. Here are five reasons why The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes Anderson's greatest film, and five why the title belongs to The Royal Tenenbaums.
10 The Grand Budapest Hotel: It Has The Most Interesting World Of Any Of His Films
Wes Anderson is known for his vivid and insanely creative set designs and his perfectly symmetrical camerawork has rocketed him to fame as one of the great modern filmmakers. The Grand Budapest Hotel is like a visual book, in the most aesthetically-pleasing and organized way, and Anderson had real-life inspiration for the design of the hotel.
The audience is introduced to a girl who opens the titular book, the writer (Jude Law) begins narrating, and then a time-jump plunges the viewer into the story. The pink hotel, bright costumes, eccentric characters, and dark castles are a joy to behold.
9 The Royal Tenenbaums: It Perfectly Captures The Absurdity Of Family
Another key Wes Anderson trait is his knack for wrapping a melancholy narrative in hysterical antics. The Royal Tenenbaums accomplishes this better than any of his films. The film revolves around the three Tenenbaum children, Chas (Ben Stiller) Richie (Luke Wilson) and Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), who struggle to admit their prodigious skills have been squandered, and time has passed them by.
On top of this, their estranged father, Royal (Gene Hackman), is back to connive and frustrate Chas. Many more antics ensue, and the audience gets the sense that while they might be laughing at the Tenenbaums' expense, the family is all just very sad underneath their sharp retorts.
8 The Grand Budapest Hotel: It Has The Best Leading Performance Of Any Of His Films
Ralph Fiennes is an extremely talented and capable actor, nominated twice for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in 1997 and 1994, respectively. He's proven his worth in many films, like The Constant Gardener, Schindler's List, and Strange Days, but The Grand Budapest Hotel might be his best role.
Hotel concierge M. Gustave is a bustling busybody interfering in his wealthy patron's lives, and it eventually lands him in a world of trouble. Quick-witted and self-serving, Gustave is portrayed by Fiennes as a wealthy business owner with a heart beneath his selfishness, brought out by his love for his lobby boy, Zero (Tony Revolori).
7 The Royal Tenenbaums: It Was Inspired By Personal Events
In The Royal Tenenbaums, husband Royal and wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) are already divorced. Although their oil-and-water combination is executed for laughs, the on-screen marriage was inspired by the director's parent's divorce when he was young.
Although nothing on screen resembles his parent's marriage or falling out, Anderson clearly understands the hurt to be found in divorce. The Royal Tenenbaums effectively captures the sadness of Royal and Etheline in poignant scenes, and Huston and Hackman have excellent chemistry together.
6 The Grand Budapest Hotel: It Feels Exactly Like A Fairy Tale
Beginning with the girl reading The Grand Budapest Hotel in book form, it's evident that Wes Anderson wanted his film to resemble a fairy tale, despite its sometimes dark content. The hotel itself embodies a fantastical aura, a haven for immigrants like the lobby boy Zero, and even the poor have work in the kitchens.
As Gustav is imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, the film then takes an unexpected turn and becomes somewhat of a countryside-trotting adventure. Zero and Gustav have to rely on friends and each other to get through with their lives intact.
5 The Royal Tenenbaums: The Incredible Cast
Another reason The Royal Tenenbaums has endured as a cultural milestone is because of the crackling energy of its cast. Famously, the Wilson brothers and Danny Glover turned down roles in Oceans Eleven to join the cast of this film, adding to an already stacked coterie.
Bill Murray also has a role in the film, beginning his longstanding relationship with Anderson. Even compared to his other films, with an impressive range of actors, The Royal Tenenbaums makes the best use of its many characters.
4 The Grand Budapest Hotel: The Eclectic Performances
Tony Revolori's young Zero Moustafa sports a weak mustache proudly, Tilda Swinton plays a bureaucratic, crumbling senior patron of the hotel, and Willem Dafoe is an evil, cat-killing henchman. Wes Anderson is at his peak in this story in terms of his brilliantly-written characters. Each performance has its own distinct dynamic. Even Jason Schwartzman's brief appearance as the flustered hotel manager stands out.
Adrien Brody plays a shadowy mob figure, and Jeff Goldblum appears as Deputy Kovacs. The performances are integral to The Grand Budapest Hotel, but the sheer number of excellent performances doesn't outdo each other, rather building to a perfect ensemble.
3 The Royal Tenenbaums: The Soundtrack is Impeccable
Every Wes Anderson movie has an excellent soundtrack, but The Royal Tenenbaums arguably has the best. Anderson is a fan of the Rolling Stones, as witnessed with the inclusion of not one but two of their tracks ("She Smiled Sweetly" and "Ruby Tuesday") on the soundtrack.
Paul Simon, The Velvet Underground, and Ramones all get some love on this soundtrack, a bustling and energetic undercurrent set to the tumultuous goings-on of the Tenenbaum's lives.
2 The Grand Budapest Hotel: It's The Greatest Love Story Of Any Of His Films
A pre-Lady Bird Saoirse Ronan plays Zero's love, Agatha, with all the conviction and heartfelt desire for which the acclaimed actress is now known. Anderson captures Ronan's strikingly beautiful face against the backdrop of dreamy lights to allow us to see every detail, from her eyes to her birthmark through Zero's eyes.
Their story is so sweet and innocent, as Zero overcomes all the obstacles standing between him and the hotel to reunite with Agatha. While any other movie as complex as The Grand Budapest Hotel might shoehorn in a predictable love story, such is not the case with Zero and Agatha. Their love is the most potent and tear-jerking of any Wes Anderson film.
1 The Royal Tenenbaums: It's A Cultural Icon
In the sense that it catapulted Wes Anderson to fame, The Royal Tenenbaums is truly a cultural icon. Even those unfamiliar with the name will be able to catch an homage to the director on SNL or in commercials. The eccentric timing and unexpected dialogue of the superb cast, the set design, and the excellent humor all culminate in an endlessly re-watchable movie.
Anderson captures snippets of the human condition by effortlessly marrying simple lines of lonely dialogue to remote locations, like the roof of the Tenenbaum mansion. The film cemented his ability to impact entertainment and remains an incredible achievement in the dramedy-genre.
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