"The Darjeeling Limited" movie review

We switch gears this week by taking a look at the indie film, The Darjeeling Limited ( R). Wes Anderson directs this off-beat tale (of comedy and drama) of three estranged brothers trying to rekindle their relationship while on a train ride in India. The film stars Owen Wilson,Adrien Brodey and Jason Schwartzman.

Ryan: I want to preface this review by saying that Wes Anderson has never made a bad or even mediocre film. His films are all way-above average (with some being modern-day classics--Bottle Rocket and Rushmore). But there is a slightly disturbing trend with his films. When he makes a new film it's never quite as good as the previous one. It is not a drastic slope but it is slightly alarming because Anderson is such a talented filmmaker. Thankfully The Darjeeling Limited breaks that trend. It is not Anderson's best work but it is better than his last outing, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou.

Andy: I must fully disclose that I am a total sucker for Wes Anderson. I love pretty much all of his movies, so the chance of me going into this one and not liking it was pretty slim. Furthermore, I'd watched the--Part I Hotel Chevalier--on the internet and was blown away. It is able to pack months and months of a relationship's pain and baggage into just a few minutes of film, with almost no dialogue. In many ways, this is Anderson's greatest strength as a filmmaker. He is able to make a scene feel like there is a whole lot more going on than initial appearances indicate. You get the feeling that you know some of these characters' histories, even when it is not clearly presented.

Ryan: Never content in just being a standard director, Anderson elevates things a bit by showing a short film, Hotel Chevalier, before the feature film. The eight-minute short stars Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman (as estranged lovers) and ultimately provides an intriguing back-story to some of the events that take place in The Darjeeling Limited. The brilliance of the short film is that it can simultaneously stand on its own merit and also serve as an introduction to the narrative of the feature film. Hats off to Anderson for using a lost art to make the film-going experience more enriching.

Andy: Love him or hate him, Anderson has a definite style to his movies. That is surprisingly rare in American cinema today, so he gets some art-house points just for being unique. But most striking here is how he allows the actors to work their craft. Each of the leads has a striking visual appearance that hints at what the character is actually like. As the brothers banter and argue, themes start to emerge. Brodey is clearly the class of the group from an acting standpoint, but all three of them are able to portray characters that are very likable while being full of contradictions and shortcomings.

Ryan: I don't want to define Anderson's films as simply being quirky but they definitely have their own charm that might be an acquired taste for the casual moveigoer. The Darjeeling Limited showcases the attributes that makes Anderson's film so engaging. One has eccentric characters in unconventional situations. Depending on the strength of the interaction between the characters with regard to their environment is key in determining how successful an Anderson movie is. With The Darjeeling Limited, that storytelling theme is played out in entertaining and engrossing manner.

Andy: Another signature of a Wes Anderson film is the use of the soundtrack. He almost always has a very listenable set of songs that he masterfully incorporates in the movie, and this one is no exception. It's gotten to the point now where it's almost like there is a template he his using. There is frequently a scene of characters walking in slow motion while some British-invasion rock song is playing on the soundtrack. The thing is, that scene is usually one of the coolest in the movie, as it is here with The Kinks “Strangers.”

The Darjeeling Limited may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's visually stunning, well-acted, cohesive piece of work that is well worth taking the chance on watching. Final grade: B+.