Three brothers meet a year after their father’s demise in India under the pretense set by the eldest Francis (Owen Wilson) to reconnect estranged family ties. They book a rail ride on the train, The Darjeeling Limited, and embark on an itemized quest attempting to force spiritual awakening like it was as easy as assembling a BBQ grill with large bold face instructions—but then that’s not a simple process either. A short review because Bamf doesn’t want to spoil anything for those Anderson fans robbed by its limited release.
Bamf here rematerializing from the void..
I am a big fan of Wes Anderson as a story teller. His creations of quirky and flawed characters are an honest representation of the walks of life we encounter in the world. Bottle Rocket is my least favorite of his works as the trailer offered more than the film delivered, but The Royal Tenenbaums by far is my favorite, and takes its place as the only film I actually enjoy Ben Stiller in. In all of Andersons films we get to experience a taste of life as the characters live it. I admire those brave moves he makes in establishing his characters world as if you the viewer should know it already. The one flaw that I find comes with his scripts (especially in the earlier films like Bottle Rocket and Rushmore), is the first act delivers great surprise and setup, but often midway through the second act the story sort of loses its way. The task of putting too much detail in the film that breathes life works against him yet still finds a way to pull its self out of the narrative mess and finishes strong. I think he knows this, and has developed a place where he and his fellow writers have figured out how to sidestep this problem.
All involved in this picture The Darjeeling Limited are spot on in their commitment to weave the tail. The script, the actors, the set dressers and the location managers all produced a film with such eloquent style and quiet flair that each scene has you busy trying to examine every element in front of you. It is a rich tapestry of well developed personalities on screen, and a heartfelt tail of letting go, and letting in the ones you love. I had reservations on seeing another Anderson film with his longtime collaborators Jason Schwartzman and Owen Wilson again. I wondered if the comfortableness of working with these actors again might stifle the creativity and hold Anderson back from showing us something new. But they don’t, and give performances on par with their past work but maintain a freshness that doesn’t make you think you are seeing a sequel to past Anderson films.
The director’s signature camera work in the confined train space is something that if it were a tangible being, I would ask it out to dinner and introduce it to my mother. I love how the static shot is used with the players coming into frame instead of the traditional switchback from one shot to the next and just adds to that aspect of becoming a voyeur in these character’s lives. They really ramp up the scene choreography with multiple actions happening in the background as the camera sweeps right to left and makes for a shot that is active and alive like some sort of carbon based Rube Goldberg machine. I don’t think it is possible for Anderson’s cinematographer Yeoman to ever shoot a drab frame and I am predicting an Oscar nod for his work in this film. Hell, Yeoman even made Pittsburgh look good in Kevin Smith’s Dogma, in daylight no less!
The Darjeeling Limited will be a must have in my DVD collection. This is a piece of work that shows why he will be considered one of the greats of our day. What you get when watching this is a well crafted story that looks brilliant. My favorite part in the film came right at the moment when I thought the film was going to start treading water like the past have late in the second act. It’s a flashback sequence that ties in and pays off like it was the third act surprise. I cannot spoil it for you, but it in no way lazy story telling as flashbacks often are. And to truly appreciate little moments scattered throughout the film, and a big moment at the end, you have to watch the short, Hotel Chevalier, do that, then send Natalie Portman a sandwich. The Darjeeling Limited in in contention for my praise as best film of the year—it is comedic drama, and a dramatic comedy in a near Shakespearean way. Is there a higher compliment?