The Darjeeling Limited

Wes Anderson has a very distinct style in his writing and directing. The visionary of such great movies as The Royal Tanenbaums, Bottle Rocket and of course Rushmore brings dry wit, quirky characters, a great soundtrack and interesting thoughts on family and friendship to each of his movies. He has a group of talented actors that seem to follow him where ever he goes and his has a fan base willing to do the same. I consider myself a fan, a big fan actually, but his last movie, The Life Aquatic, was a total mess and I was concerned about this one because Adrien Brody doing comedy just didn't seem like something natural. Why couldn't he just get Luke Wilson? But, one bad movie after three great movies doesn't mean he has lost it, so I went in with a sense of optimism. How was my optimism rewarded?


Francis(Owen Wilson), Jack(Jason Schwartzman) and Peter(Brody) are brothers on a "spiritual journey." Francis is the mastermind behind the journey and the goal is to get the brothers to be as close as they were before their father died a year ago. This is the first time the brothers have seen each other in a year and the reason being that they do not trust each other. Each brother brings his own individual baggage to the trip. Francis, a bizarre turn of art imitating life, tried to kill himself, Peter is about to be a father but has always believed he would get divorced and is worried the kid will cause new issues for that and Jack is hung up on a girlfriend and is obsessed with checking her messages. The brothers are taking their joinery through India by way of a train called "The Darjeeling Limited" and they promised to experience everything possible and always say yes even if it scares them. Wanting to surprise his brothers, Francis does not tell them that their ending destination is to see their mother who has joined a convent somewhere in India. She didn't make it to their father's funeral and they have not seen her in years. That is the basic story and while an interesting twist happens in the second half, this movie is really a study on family.


Wes Anderson returns to form with this movie. It is a very funny, often poignant, and very real feeling movie. His usual slow motion camera tricks are employed but mostly he lets his screenplay do the talking. He is confident with his camera and even more confident in telling this story. He trusts that his audience will allow him to be hilarious one moment and then bring something very serious to the table in the next moment. While this movie is not as all out funny as the previous ventures I feel like this is the best movie of the group. Anderson has a great story to tell about whether family can really be friends or if they are forced to be just because they are related. I admit I understand the story because I have two brothers and as the brothers in this movie are often times very different and often times very similar, I am that same way with my siblings. Anderson takes his time telling the story, never rushing a single moment with the three brothers. A lesser director might not give us as much of the bitchiness within the familial conversations.


The 3 brothers are all fantastic together. Wilson is perfect as the out there, kind of crazy big idea having brother. Schwartzman captures the arrogance, yet insecurities of the dead pan would be writer brother and I have to say that while Brody's Peter gets the least of the funny bits, he is perfectly in tune with that Wes Anderson style of acting. Brody believes in giving characters mannerisms and this movie is no different. His constant messing with his glasses really lends something to his character and makes him feel more real. The three actors have a great chemistry which is good because this movie rides on their collective shoulders. Angelica Houston shows up as the boys' mother and does her usual Wes Anderson thing and lends some support to why the brothers are the way they are, but none of the cameos really make the movie. Sure having the movie open on Bill Murray is funny, but the movie can stand on its own, and it does.


This movie has a sense of being the most metaphorical Anderson movie as the brothers carry their emotional baggage in suitcase after suitcase and it is only after the drop their actual baggage that they start to grow as brothers and as friends. We get the sense that the brothers were never as close as they wanted to be and that the entire family failed at being a real family and they are hoping to some how correct that with this voyage. The movie has some great side bits involving drugs, a snake and a possibly kleptomaniac brother but at its heart, this movie is a very interesting study on the dysfunctional family and while is succeeds in being slyly funny, a bit pretentious and too hip for words, it also succeeds at telling and interesting story with interesting characters and yes, a kick ass soundtrack.