La famille Tenenbaum

This was a quirky film that surprised me, in that I liked it....at least twice. By the third viewing, I had enough but I got my money's worth out of it. That's what I would recommend with this movie: rent it before considering buying it. It's very different, and you might love but also might hate it.

What it is, simply, is a portrait of a very dysfunctional family and the father trying to re-connect with his kids after a long absence. Gene Hackman is the father, Angelica Huston the mother and the wacko kids - and other assorted strange characters - are played by Ben Stiller, Owen and Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Bill Murray and Danny Glover.

This is mostly dry, dark humor with some funny lines delivered in deadpan style. Nobody is particularly likable but - with the possible exception of Paltrow's character - are not really unlikeable either. They are just strange.

I enjoyed viewing the house with all its colors. For those who appreciate low-key absurd humor nd some pleasing visuals, you should like this film and I certainly recommend giving it a look.

I think if someone tries to watch a Wes Anderson film, they have to have a certain kind mind to understand the real meaning of them. After being awed by the Royal Tenenbaums, I left with a certain kind of joy that only a great film can give me. It's like flying an electric kite, it's that hard of a buzz. As I began my travel down the stairs of the theater, I heard this couple talking about how stupid the movie was, and how they are going to ask for a refund. I suddenly smiled, because I hoped that they would get one. I think that I got something out of the film that they didn't. That inside the frames of the movie I felt like I was in good company and had a understanding for the material that they didn't. What is so good about the Royal Tenenbaums? The great detail in every frame, from the costumes (and they really are costumes)to the design of Chas, Margot, and Richie rooms and the house. This is brilliant film on every level, a delight for the senses and for the mind. This movie makes you think, and without giving too much away there is a lot of surprises that come from the characters dialogue and their past. High kudos go to Luke Wilson, I loved his performance as the suffering Richie. If you loved Rushmore, there is no doubt that you will love this film because it is at par with it, except that its a bit darker in tone. I think its funny that way that people look at film, we each love or hate a film based on our own perception(and mind there are people who just watch film for entertainment). So if you have a complicated mind and you enjoy watching a challenging film, then the Royal Tenenbaums is for you. As for me, I plan on watching it again so I find more things to love about it. Thank you Wes Anderson, so much. You made laugh, you made me smile and I cried. A thousand times, thank you!

Wes Anderson has been the face of a new brand of comedy ever since he burst onto the scene in 1996 with Bottle Rocket. He further established himself with the 1998 hit Rushmore. The Royal Tenenbaums is considered by many to be his finest work and it is kind of hard to dispute that. This is a rich, complex movie dealing with multiple characters that all suffer from serious trouble in one way or another. Gene Hackman plays the father of a family that was once quite prominent in the world of geniuses. The oldest son Chas was a successful real estate dealer, daughter Margot became a famous playwright in the ninth grade, and youngest son Richie went on to become a great tennis player. Still, all their talent couldn't keep their father from leaving them, and now he returns to see them because he tells them he is dying.

This movie works, but not as easily as some other comedies. Being a Wes Anderson movie, the humor here is very dry and there are multiple scenes when you will ask yourself if you should be sad, angry, or laugh at the characters. The look of the movie is remarkable and it perfectly matches the feeling of each character. The acting is tremendous, especially by Hackman, as well as Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, and Angelica Huston. The whole movie is filled with weird and quirk situations, yet it all makes sense somehow. The story gives us these people and their problems and we watch as they try to piece their life back together after being apart for so long. If you are a fan of Wes Anderson, you owe it to yourself to see this. If you aren't, it still is worth seeing, but give it some time. Watching it a second time really helped me understand the characters and the story better. It may do the same for you.

I think it's unfortunate that some of those who liked this film imply that anyone who found it a waste of time is a boor, who is only interested in Jim Carrey style films. There are some very off-beat, "arty" films that I enjoy a great deal. This was not one of them, though. To me, it was "okay", but certainly not great. The humor was very subtle. I got most of the "jokes" (or humorous aspects, really, more than jokes) that people have mentioned, but they just weren't all that funny, to me. Maybe I actually sympathized with the characters too much; the humor was overwhelmed by the sadness of their situations.

Movies like this don't get made anymore. A full cast of expert actors, a director with complete artistic license. Usually the artistic nature of a film is controlled when the cast is this packed full of talent.

Anderson usually has problems meshing the pacing and rhythms of his stories with his specific style, but not in this one. This one works like a charm. One of my top 10 favorite movies.