2008 Woodie Awards
'The Darjeeling Limited' offers zany ride
Three brothers seek enlightment on wild, Indian adventure
Whitney Van Cleave
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Fans of director Wes Anderson will marvel once again at his filmmaking abilities with the release of his latest endeavor, "The Darjeeling Limited." The film flirts with cult classic status, as critics and audiences alike fall in love with Anderson's whimsical style.
Anderson has once again enlisted the help of his friends, actor/writer Jason Schwartzman and writer Roman Coppola, to create yet another dark comedy about trust and family. In keeping with similar themes in his other notable films "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tennenbaums," "The Darjeeling Limited" tackles the serious topics of death, love and life in a fresh way.
"The Darjeeling Limited" follows the three Whitman brothers on their journey through India in the wake of their father's untimely death. The brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Schwartzman) set out on this journey seeking to rebuild the broken bonds between them and find spiritual enlightenment. They bear the weight of their father's death both figuratively and quite literally as they lug 10 large suitcases that once belonging to him. Along the way, the brothers all come to terms with their diverse lifestyles. This, in turn, brings them closer together.
Half way through the movie, it is revealed that the eldest brother has organized the trip in order to visit their estranged mother (Anjelica Houston), who has lived in a convent at the base of the Himalayas for some time.
Although Anderson's characters are always uniquely disjointed figures, the Whitman brothers prove to be subtly intricate and stereotypical at the same time.
Wilson's Francis appears to be in control of his life, but sports some serious head bandages and leans on a cane that suggest otherwise. Wilson inhabits his character to the fullest and, at some point, the line between the two is indistinguishable.
Schwartzman's character Jack resembles the numerous other roles Schwartzman has portrayed in Anderson's films. However, Jack's role as a scorned and confused lover is charmingly disheartening.
Anderson has once again enlisted the help of his friends, actor/writer Jason Schwartzman and writer Roman Coppola, to create yet another dark comedy about trust and family. In keeping with similar themes in his other notable films "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tennenbaums," "The Darjeeling Limited" tackles the serious topics of death, love and life in a fresh way.
"The Darjeeling Limited" follows the three Whitman brothers on their journey through India in the wake of their father's untimely death. The brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Schwartzman) set out on this journey seeking to rebuild the broken bonds between them and find spiritual enlightenment. They bear the weight of their father's death both figuratively and quite literally as they lug 10 large suitcases that once belonging to him. Along the way, the brothers all come to terms with their diverse lifestyles. This, in turn, brings them closer together.
Half way through the movie, it is revealed that the eldest brother has organized the trip in order to visit their estranged mother (Anjelica Houston), who has lived in a convent at the base of the Himalayas for some time.
Although Anderson's characters are always uniquely disjointed figures, the Whitman brothers prove to be subtly intricate and stereotypical at the same time.
Wilson's Francis appears to be in control of his life, but sports some serious head bandages and leans on a cane that suggest otherwise. Wilson inhabits his character to the fullest and, at some point, the line between the two is indistinguishable.
Schwartzman's character Jack resembles the numerous other roles Schwartzman has portrayed in Anderson's films. However, Jack's role as a scorned and confused lover is charmingly disheartening.
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