THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL"
(2014) (Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Comedy: A new lobby boy at a 1930s era luxurious hotel assists the concierge who's contending with the aftermath of receiving a priceless piece of art from one of his late clients.

PLOT:

It's 1985 and a writer (TOM WILKINSON) is recounting the moment nearly twenty years earlier when he (JUDE LAW) arrived at the one-time glamorous but now fading Grand Budapest Hotel situated in the Republic of Zubrowka. He ends up having dinner with the owner, Mr. Moustafa (F. MURRAY ABRAHAM), who tells the tale of how he came to run the place and become the richest man in all of Zubrowka.

His tale then rewinds back to 1932 when Zero (TONY REVOLORI) was the new lobby boy working for the meticulous and demanding M. Gustave (RALPH FIENNES). As the Grand Budapest Hotel's concierge, he not only keeps the hotel and staff in tiptop working order during a time of war, but also attends to every need of their clientele. That includes the bedroom desires of older and quite wealthy women such as Madame D. (TILDA SWINTON).

When she ends up dead back at her estate, Gustave learns from her attorney, Deputy Kovacs (JEFF GOLDBLUM), that he's inherited a priceless painting. That news doesn't sit well with her adult son, Dmitri (ADRIEN BRODY), who wants his steely enforcer, Jopling (WILLEM DAFOE), to make sure Gustave never gets it. But the concierge and Zero skip out with the painting and return to the hotel, unaware that Madame D.'s now missing butler, Serge X. (MATHIEU AMALRIC), has framed Gustave for her murder.

That eventually results in military police captain Henckels (EDWARD NORTON) capturing and imprisoning the concierge. But it's not long before Zero gets his bakery shop girlfriend, Agatha (SAORISE RONAN), to come up with a clever way of helping Gustave and fellow prisoner Ludwig (HARVEY KEITEL) escape from prison. From that point on, Gustave, with the aid of Zero, attempts to clear his name, all while trying to stay clear of the homicidal Jopling.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Older teens who enjoy the films done by director Wes Anderson and/or who are fans of anyone in the cast might be interested, but it's unlikely this will otherwise be a big hit among kids.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language, some sexual content and violence.

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