- Review: John Wick 3 (C)
Scott Sycamore - Weekend Box Office
May 17 - 19 - Crowd Reports
Avengers: Endgame - Us
Box office comparisons - Review: Justice League (C)
Craig Younkin
Movie Review
The Darjeeling Limited
By Craig Younkin Published October 31, 2007
US Release: September 29, 2007
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Natalie Portman , Owen Wilson , Adrien Brody , Jason Schwartzman
R
Running Time: 91 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $11,896,380
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Natalie Portman , Owen Wilson , Adrien Brody , Jason Schwartzman
R
Running Time: 91 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $11,896,380
D+
Another bore, so airy and inconsequential that it barely even seems to exist on screen.
Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman play Francis, Peter, and Jack, three brothers who have been estranged from each other since the death of their father. They re-unite for a train trip across India, having all hit a bump in their respective lives. Francis has just tried to kill himself. Peter is about to become a father and he's scared to death about it. And Jack has just watched another relationship fall to pieces. The three hope that the journey will help them connect as brothers.
This is my last outing with director Wes Anderson I think. With the exception of "The Royal Tenenbaums," I just don't get it. I never understood what was funny about "Rushmore" and "Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," and I never even bothered with "Bottle Rocket." "The Darjeeling Limited" is another bore, so airy and inconsequential that it barely even seems to exist on screen. The characters all live within their own little bubble, even when their communicating with one another. This takes away any and all emotional affection towards them. And the comedy, well, what comedy? Anderson's humor has been described as wacky but it's so far out there that it's hard to even tell when it's happening. As an example, was the stuff with the peacock feathers supposed to be funny or was he going for some kind of heartwarming scene of brotherly togetherness? And that's another thing. Anderson keeps telling the same story over and over again and he hardly seems to be breaking new ground every time he does so. A family starts off growing apart and then by the end they're back together. The stuff that goes on in between all feels pretty artificial and joyless.
Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrien Brody all seem game for a Wes Anderson movie, Brody and Schwartzman each being indie favorites and Wilson having been in every Anderson movie so far. Just it's hard to get around a script and overall tone that feels so cold and manipulated. I've yet to see the heart in these movies. The thing that makes me care for any character in them. Gene Hackman carried it in "Tenenbaums,' which is mostly the reason why I liked that one. The rest of the actors walk through their roles sullen and unaffected.
Anderson has a fan base, one that likes to pat themselves on the back for being so I might add. After "Tenenbaums" I thought that I might be in it. Only after "Zissou" and this once again flawed and unfunny effort, I have to say that I'm outside the house looking inside trying to make out what the hell the big deal is again.
This is my last outing with director Wes Anderson I think. With the exception of "The Royal Tenenbaums," I just don't get it. I never understood what was funny about "Rushmore" and "Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," and I never even bothered with "Bottle Rocket." "The Darjeeling Limited" is another bore, so airy and inconsequential that it barely even seems to exist on screen. The characters all live within their own little bubble, even when their communicating with one another. This takes away any and all emotional affection towards them. And the comedy, well, what comedy? Anderson's humor has been described as wacky but it's so far out there that it's hard to even tell when it's happening. As an example, was the stuff with the peacock feathers supposed to be funny or was he going for some kind of heartwarming scene of brotherly togetherness? And that's another thing. Anderson keeps telling the same story over and over again and he hardly seems to be breaking new ground every time he does so. A family starts off growing apart and then by the end they're back together. The stuff that goes on in between all feels pretty artificial and joyless.
Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrien Brody all seem game for a Wes Anderson movie, Brody and Schwartzman each being indie favorites and Wilson having been in every Anderson movie so far. Just it's hard to get around a script and overall tone that feels so cold and manipulated. I've yet to see the heart in these movies. The thing that makes me care for any character in them. Gene Hackman carried it in "Tenenbaums,' which is mostly the reason why I liked that one. The rest of the actors walk through their roles sullen and unaffected.
Anderson has a fan base, one that likes to pat themselves on the back for being so I might add. After "Tenenbaums" I thought that I might be in it. Only after "Zissou" and this once again flawed and unfunny effort, I have to say that I'm outside the house looking inside trying to make out what the hell the big deal is again.
Craig's Grade: D+
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
