Wes Anderson's Royal Tenenbaums

There are many directors that become famous for trademarks or gimmicks inserted into their films. Whether it be Hitchcock appearing in his own films or M. Night Shyamalan (attempting to) having a plot twist ending, some work and some are cheap.

What we have with Wes Anderson is an off-beat tone that has drawn people to either love or hate him. Before I talk about the tone and mood of his films, what is further key is his visual style. Never before have I seen such attentiveness and perfectionism put into symmetry and bursting colors. You'll have a dinner table with equal amount of characters with one lamp on either side of the room and a bright red wall. The camera is then placed (movement is used more for pans-- and even with these the pans are symmetrical) specifically to draw the audience to the center of the screen while noticing that on either side will be similarities. The messages may be more subtle in what they represent, but the popping sets are exquisitely memorable and truly some eye-candy.

I think that when some people will watch an Anderson movie, there could be an uneasiness or tenseness by not knowing if what you should do is laugh or walk out of the room before it's too late. And there are the dissenters that are perhaps expecting more traditionalist filming. If you don't know what you're getting into with one of these films, then I would recommend being a little hesitant. It's not for everybody.

With that said, The Royal Tenenbaums begins with one of the best montages I have ever seen. It's Wes Anderson being himself while setting up the characters that truly need an introduction because they belong in this mad wonderland. You have Gene Hackman, the Wilson brothers, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, and of course Bill Murray. I'm not even sure where I would begin to describe these characters that are associated in one way or the other with the Tenenbaum family-- but as a start, Hackman is the father that has mainly neglected his family and attempts to have everyone reconnect and have more bonding time in a once blooming family.

The middle of the film may be bogged down slightly with less exciting scenes, but from Anderson and Owen Wilson's writing, these otherwise mundanely watchable scenes are elevated by the captivating, dysfunctional characters (Gwyneth Paltrow's deadbeat Margot Tenenbaum may be my favorite) that provide unconventional unpredictability. I'm not even sure if unconventional unpredictability is a term that even makes sense, but all the more does it describe Wes Anderson.

If you're still not sure what type of film this is, imagine a more modern setting with characters that don't belong but are trying to make it all work; the familial conflict is there, but boy did I have some laughs while watching it unfold. I have also seen Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom, but The Royal Tenenbaums is both better as a film and as a starting point to understand whether you should watch more of these films. I was won over and enjoyed the movie thoroughly, but I still caution that the style may be off-putting for some.

Featuring the voice of Bill Murray, tomorrow's review is a much-anticipated live-adaptation Disney film that I honestly gave no expectations for at the time of the release of the trailer. Does this opinion still hold true, or did I show a soft spot for the update? Find out on tomorrow's episode.