I first saw this film on TV and have never seen a director quite like Wes Anderson displaying his outlook on life so expertly. He and Owen Wilson have created a family beyond dysfunctional. Their underplayed script of various oddballs all with their own tale of despair is as left-field as you'll find, with each character, and I stress this, as pathetic as the next.
Gene Hackman plays the lead role of Royal with huge confidence while Paltrow (Margot), Stiller (Chaz), and Owen and Luke Wilson (Eli and Richie), develop into fully fledged actors in their brilliant well-rounded performances. Anjelica Huston plays the strong matriarchal head of the family and gives the biggest whiff of normalcy from the film with Kumar Pallana, the knife happy friend/butler/colleague at the opposite end of the spectrum. Along with Pallana's inspired creation, comes Anderson's strongest hand - background players. Like the Coens, he truly adores every character and you feel background with each one. Whether it be Danny Glover's sombre turn as Huston's love interest, Royal's colleague and partner in deception or Buckley the dog. They carry the film and keep it fresh.
The script is as above mentioned, slow-burning, letting its characters develop with ease and no constraints. This sits perfectly with Anderson's patient camera, and eye to present the story in a skit-type basis which it very well may be with its spot-on throw away one-liners. When pestered about the nature of his suicide note Richie replies wryly, "Of course it's dark, It's a suicide note."
Its along with these, the acting and Andersons direction that Tenenbaums is promoted from simply a cult or indie classic into something so much more. The slow moments perfectly sober the funnier and give room for rest and perspective. It is also where the film delivers its most touching and poignant moments. The wedding scene is totally destroying and will levels the viewer flat. As with Richie's graphic suicide attempt and Royals ultimate demise in the company of his previously absent son.
I cannot praise this film enough but I have tried.
Gene Hackman plays the lead role of Royal with huge confidence while Paltrow (Margot), Stiller (Chaz), and Owen and Luke Wilson (Eli and Richie), develop into fully fledged actors in their brilliant well-rounded performances. Anjelica Huston plays the strong matriarchal head of the family and gives the biggest whiff of normalcy from the film with Kumar Pallana, the knife happy friend/butler/colleague at the opposite end of the spectrum. Along with Pallana's inspired creation, comes Anderson's strongest hand - background players. Like the Coens, he truly adores every character and you feel background with each one. Whether it be Danny Glover's sombre turn as Huston's love interest, Royal's colleague and partner in deception or Buckley the dog. They carry the film and keep it fresh.
The script is as above mentioned, slow-burning, letting its characters develop with ease and no constraints. This sits perfectly with Anderson's patient camera, and eye to present the story in a skit-type basis which it very well may be with its spot-on throw away one-liners. When pestered about the nature of his suicide note Richie replies wryly, "Of course it's dark, It's a suicide note."
Its along with these, the acting and Andersons direction that Tenenbaums is promoted from simply a cult or indie classic into something so much more. The slow moments perfectly sober the funnier and give room for rest and perspective. It is also where the film delivers its most touching and poignant moments. The wedding scene is totally destroying and will levels the viewer flat. As with Richie's graphic suicide attempt and Royals ultimate demise in the company of his previously absent son.
I cannot praise this film enough but I have tried.