Directed by: Wes Anderson
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, featurette, other trailers
Starring: Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, Angelica Huston
Trailer
India. It's a country I've never been to, but have long wanted to visit. When I was quite young, I saw The Little Princess, starring Shirley Temple. Even though the movie takes place in Africa, it occurs during the British occupation of that country and Sara Crewe (Temple) has an Indian servant (The British occupied that country as well). Although her young servant has a small role in the film, that is when my interest in the far away land was first roused. Since then, I've read a few wonderful novels (The God of Small Things by Anrundhati Roy and The Moor's Last Sigh by Salmon Rushdie) that have kept the mistuque of India alive in my imagination. In Wes Anderson's latest film, The Darjeeling Limited, the beauty of this country is once again brought to life.
Three brothers, Francis, Peter and Jack Whitman have not spoken in a year. The eldest, Francis, has decided that the three of them need to take a spiritual journey; to reconnect and to visit their estranged mother. They rondevous aboard a train in India, The Darjeeling Limited, and travel across the country together. Along the way, Francis' carefully laid plans go awry, their mother sends word that they're unwelcome and a poisonous snake gets them kicked off the train. Aside from their immediate troubles, each man has unresolved issues of their own.
The visual appeal of this film lies primarily in the set design. The train itself is a work of art and filming aboard a moving locomotive presents challenges of its own. Like most of Wes Anderson's other works, The Darjeeling Limited feels almost like a play insofar as the set is concerned. Unlike The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, there are no fantastic creatures aboard.
Although I was terribly disappointed in Jason Schwartzman as Louis XVI (Marie Anoinette), he has been in most, if not all, of the Wes Anderson movies. So, it's not surprising to find him in the cast of this one. He seems well suited to the director's needs and performs wonderfully in The Darjeeling Limited. He's grown up quite a bit from Rushmore. A new addition to Anderson's usual crew is Adrien Brody. Let's forget for a moment that I completely adore the actor on every level. He's so exciting just to look at! As an addition to the cast, he fits in very smoothly and blends in perfectly amongst Anderson's other creations. I hope to see him again in the director's next project. Owen Wilson, although another regular in Anderson's films, doesn't seem to mesh as well as the other two. He's a bit too overpowering as Francis. Even though the character is a strong one, Wilson is slightly over the top in his performance. Another pair of regulars, Bill Murray and Angelica Huston, appear in The Darjeeling Limited, but not in leading roles. I think that it was a wise descision on the casting director's part, as it avoids making each film too similar while still appeasing the fans.
As if it wasn't apparent by my peppering of his name throughout this review, I am a fan of Wes Anderson's films. I love the whimsical nature of them and their non-linear plots. It's nice not to be tied down to an agenda as so many other movies seem to be. But although The Darjeeling Limited isn't a predictable story, the primary sentiment still comes through. The plot meanders from Francis' well-intended choreography, but the three brothers accomplish their goal in the end. The movie is serious, without being depressing and funny without being rediculous. The exotic setting, the quirky characters and the subtle oddities make The Darjeeling Limited another fantastic addition to the director's filmography. As a side note, I don't usually get excited about the featurettes included on many DVDs. However, I do recommend viewing the extra feature on this one. There are elements of the set design that shouldn't go unappreciated, that one might never notice without watching the behind the scenes footage.
Now, I think I'll go watch it again, before I have to return it!
Overall rating: 5 stars
Hottie rating: 5 stars (4 for Brodie, 1 for Schwartzman)
Alternate Recommendation: The Royal Tenenbaums
Official Site
IMDB Site
Salon.com review (minute spoilers)
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