|
The Darjeeling Limited
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Owen Wilson
Genre:
Comedy/ Independent
Run Time: 91
min.
Release Date:
October 2007
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Wes Anderson films are an
acquired taste. From
BOTTLE ROCKET, RUSHMORE, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, THE LIFE AQUATIC, and finally this film,
THE DARJEELING
LIMITED, quirkiness is a theme that runs throughout writer/director
Anderson’s repertoire. He also loves working with the Wilson brothers
(Luke and Owen) as well as Anjelica Huston and Bill Murray. So — not
surprisingly — Owen, Anjelica and Bill all show up at some point in this
one. They are, in fact, becoming what I like to call “the quirky cadre.”
Anderson isn’t one of those “in-your-face” kind of directors. He doesn’t
spoonfeed you anything, and this is both fun and frustrating. The fun
comes from personal discoveries related to the scenes and situations he
puts his characters in. The frustration is that sometimes the
disconnects are too extreme.
This time we have the three Whitman brothers, Francis (Owen Wilson,
CARS), Peter (Adrien Brody,
HOLLYWOODLAND), and Jack (Jason Schwarztman,
MARIE ANTOINETTE). Their father has recently passed away and the
brothers take on a trip to India to find their absent mother. In the
meantime, we get to witness the bizarreness of this family unit. Francis
(Wilson) is a control freak who has to have every minute detail pinned
down. Peter (Brody) is somewhat of a kleptomaniac. And Jack (Schwartzman)
is a damaged guy stuck on a damaged gal (played by Natalie Portman,
CLOSER). The three boys try to rediscover their brotherly bonds by
taking The Darjeeling Limited (a train) across India in search of their
father’s hopes for them and their mother’s reasons for not attending her
husband’s funeral. There are some absolutely hysterical, funny, and
poignant moments, sometimes all wrapped up in one scene. The one that
comes to mind the most is when the brothers witness a raft trapped in
some rapids with three boys clinging on for dear life. They put aside
all of their differences and go into savior mode without thinking, and
it is a defining moment within the brothers’ lives. What comes after is
funny and sad. They finally break free of their bonds to their parents
and leave all of their luggage behind (literally and metaphorically),
thanks to the families they meet outside their own.
The main frustration most viewers might have with the movie is the
music. There really is no connection between what is happening and the
tunes (Anderson, I believe, just enjoyed the Indian music and decided to
incorporate it into the film, and be damned what anyone might think).
The extreme disconnect was very bothersome for this viewer.
Even so, this is a good quirky Anderson film with great color shots (the
train and the surrounding terrain), an uplifting story (in the end), and
some fine acting by all (especially by Owen Wilson).
(back to top) |
Image from The Darjeeling
Limited
DVD cost: $23.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Director Wes Anderson
chose not to have an original score for his film, opting, instead, to
borrow original music from Indian films including those from legendary
Indian auteur Satyajit Ray's films.
Movie Quote: "I
want us to be completely open and say yes to everything. Even if it's
shocking and painful."
Other Actors/Actresses
from The Darjeeling Limited
   |
