The Royal TenenbaumsDirected by Wes AndersonStarring: Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Danny Glover, Bill MurrayThe Royal Tenenbaums: Movie A, DVD A- The Royal Tenenbaums is probably my favorite movie of 2001. There is not one thing I don't like about it. I know from reading many different reviews, both by critics and regular moviegoers, that The Royal Tenenbaums is a love or hate it movie. What I love most is the characters. In some ways they seem familiar, but on the other hand you've never met anyone quite like them. So much is going on in this movie, but you hardly realize it. I mean this in the best possible sense. No grand messages are being shoved down your throat, but they do exist in the most subtle way possible. There are issues concerning divorce, adoption, drugs, isolation, death and even incest. These are all handled in a most respectful way. The incest is not really incest. Richie loves Margot, but not really in a sexual way. I think Richie just can't imagine having feelings for anyone else that are stronger than what he feels for Margot. Maybe their love is a desparate attempt at not having to grow up. Alot of this movie revolves around the confusing feelings of leaving childhood for adulthood. All the children hit there peak before leaving home. Essentially they had no reason to grow up, they had already done everything as children. When finally leaving home they were left with only disappointment. The coming together of the adult family was a catharsis for all their troubles. Chaz, dealing more with the death of his wife than a failed adulthood, learns to relate to his family again. All the characters learn something about themselves. This not done in a particularly sentimental way. I think this is what made the movie seem so genuine to me. Royal wanted to reconnect with his family, not for some grand reason, but just because he felt it was right. The performances were all excellent, especially Gene Hackman. The performance was very unexpected. He turned what seemed to be a very shallow and cold character into someone the audience could really connect to in the end. I just think everyone was perfect for their roles. Luke Wilson was excellent as Richie, who was angry and troubled, and yet still a little boy who wanted eveyone in the family to get along. Gywneth Paltrow did a great job a playing the brooding Margot, who was always looking for someone to care for her. It is amazing how everything in this movie fits together. Margot is shown as never quite being a member of the family, at least in her father's eyes, and spends her life looking for someone to care for her. This movie if full of little details. I find something new everytime I watch it. Let's move on to the new Criterion DVD. This is a nice package. There are two discs. One contains just the movie and the commentary track from the director Wes Anderson. The second disc has a still gallery, a couple deleted scenes, a documentary, The Peter Bradley, show, and some cast interviews. I haven't actually gotten through everything yet, but I will add some more info as soon as I have. The deleted are really not that good, it's easy to see why they were cut. They are a good reminder that sometimes things are cut for a reason. The interviews are pretty good, they are a few minutes for each main cast member. Each actor sheds some light on what he or she sees in their character. There are a few amusing easter eggs on this disc, but I'll you find them for yourself. Review by Sherry |
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