The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Some family dynamics are beyond fixing.
Presentation:
After a while, Wes Anderson films start to all jumble together. They are all so tonally and thematically similar especially with recurring casts that they feel like clones of each other. Along with Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums shares the early vision of Anderson incorporating a personal story into the cinematic quirkiness. Both of these films seem to be beloved, but I found this one more memorable because of the family dynamic. Ultimately whether his films hit for you depends on how relevant they are and if they strike a chord with your experience. Although I doubt viewers have experienced the taboo themes in this film, the family aspects feel very real in a truly American way. This is one of the more unique stories and should catch you off guard with its broodiness, or pent up teenager angst that was repressed.
Conclusion:
Why anyone would make a film about this topic is a wonder. Despite the questionable material, it’s still a pretty thoughtful and respectful movie with touching performances. You can really feel the frustration of the performances and empathize with them. This is one of the last films that has a foremost has a story to tell rather than collage of imagery.
Recommendations
I always wanted to be John Malkovich.