| Overall Grade: |
B |
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| Story: |
B+ |
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| Acting: |
B |
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| Direction: |
B+ |
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| Visuals: |
B+ |
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Three Actors
by Jersey Joe (movies profile)
May 4, 2008
10
of
12 people found this review helpful
"The Darjeeling Limited" is another quirky, dry Wes Anderson film that some people are just not going to like because they're not a fan of his style.
This film is typical Wes Anderson offering in that it asks its audience to be patient as the payoff is usually worth it. I usually walk away from his films impressed by some of what I saw, but wishing the overall package had been better. I loved "Rushmore" and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" but felt like "The Royal Tenenbaums" fell short. This film has a lot to offer but it comes up short in some ways.
We spend the entire film with Owen Wilson as Francis , Adrien Brody as Peter, and Jason Schwartzman as Jack; the Whitman brothers. Francis is the oldest, controlling brother, Peter is still dealing with issues regarding their dead father's belongings and Jack is a sex craving writer.
Owen Wilson spends the entire film with his head wrapped in bandages. While this offers a certain silliness to his appearance, he is still physically and emotionally damaged. Despite trying to be upbeat, he is sad and hurt. Wilson captures Francis' anxious anguish wonderfully.
Adrien Brody is brilliant as Peter. He is still wearing his dead father's sun glasses even though they are prescription and give him a headache. He is desparate to be his father's favorite even after his father is no longer available to give his approval. He is sadder than Francis in many ways.
Jason Schwartzman took a lot out of the film. His character is not entirely likable, which usually isn't a problem, but his effort seems to be more acting exercise than real acting. This is never more obvious than in the short film that precedes the actual feature length film but is relevant to his character's plight in the latter. His performance is an obstacle in an attempt at enjoying the film as a whole.
There are some great moments in this film where we see the desperate attempt by westerners to cleanse their souls through eastern religious ceremonies. The trio spend a day with an Indian village in the most poignant minutes of the film.
There are laughs here to be certain, but so much more. I wanted this film to be better and can still recommend it. But the Schwartzman performance is tough to deal with as is the time spent with Anjelica Huston. I find her presence in the film unnecessary. But the film is worth seeing for the performances of Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody alone. Most of the story works really well and there are some great film moments to be enjoyed. |
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