(2001, Dir. Wes Anderson)
In Short: The three washed-up, once-genius Tenenbaum children return home to their separated parents when their father announces he is terminally ill, and are forced to face their pasts, escape their presents, and prepare for their futures. There are a lot of main characters in this movie, and they are all extraordinarily complex--but they are each complex in a way that depends upon the others. The relationships are very complicated and intricate, and that's sort of the whole idea--all these people are very different and have lots of problems, but they're family, so they're connected. But not in a typical, mushy way. Despite the fact that Anderson creates a world that is, although similar to, irreconcilable with our own, there is something more real about the relationships portrayed in that reality than when they are portrayed in "the real world" in other films. The absurdity and extremeness of the characters, situations, and settings, while sometimes played for laughs, does more to make the emotions and conflicts more real to the viewer. (Spoilers below) It's no shock that I'm totally obsessed with this movie. I can't stop thinking about it! There are so many layers to it, but it's done so well that it doesn't feel cluttered. The actors' performances were stellar--it's quite the feat to get me to take Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller seriously. The writing and storytelling is fantastic, and it's hard to believe that all of that fit into so short a time so effectively. On top of that, it's just a flat-out gorgeous movie, and I'm crazy about the style that Wes Anderson gave this one. Visually, I especially loved the scene in the board game closet and Richie's suicide attempt scene is, you know, depressing, but it's also stunning and gorgeous and really affecting. The music is amazing too. I can hardly stop writing about this! I love it! 10/10 Dalmatian Mice.
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AuthorEileen here, writing reviews for film class. Archives
April 2018
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