The Royal Tenenbaums - Review

Originally Reviewed Sep. 20, 2022 on Letterboxd

5/5

Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums is a family picture. Sorry, I should clarify. This is not a film meant for families. Absolutely not. Instead, The Royal Tenenbaums is a film about family. The only thing preventing it from being the former is some light language, tobacco use, and violence. That really isn’t the point though. I quite enjoyed my time with this gem. However, I should stipulate, that if you do not like Wes Anderson’s style, I don’t know if you’ll enjoy this. It definitely still has all of its Anderson-isms. However, it was fun to see these techniques and stylistic choices earlier on in their life span since this was only Wes’ third feature. I enjoy Anderson as a filmmaker. I love The Grand Budapest Hotel and I have reaped a lot of enjoyment from Fantastic Mr. Fox. So I was ready and willing to take a step back into one of these stylish and beautiful pieces of art, but if Anderson just isn’t for you, then maybe it’s just not meant to be. Regardless, I really enjoyed my time with this film. Its characters, themes, story, and style made my time with this family truly educational and, most importantly, entertaining.

Let’s first talk about the characters that we follow through this tale. There are many, many characters so I will focus on the few primary characters that stood out to me throughout my time. Gene Hackman plays the outcasted patriarch of the Tenenbaums and he puts our plot in motion. We follow him as he tries to weasel his way back into a family over twenty years after he left. His “ex-”wife is played masterfully by Anjelica Huston. Their children were raised to be geniuses after Royal Tenenbaum (Hackman’s character) left, but twenty-two years later they have all plateaued in their own various ways and are stuck in varying types of adolescence. The three Tenenbaum children are played by Ben Stiller (Chas), Luke Wilson (Richie), and Gweneth Paltrow (Margot). Each of the main Tenenbaums and all the other side characters have their own little quirks that make them individual in this hyper-real world of Anderson’s creation. Each also has their own life struggles they work through. For people who are so hyperreal, they have emotional cores that feel real. Their personal journeys are very engaging throughout the film and their quirks that are meant to entertain never detract from that; They only enhance them.

The story is primarily about the family working through its many issues and coming together new and better. The film seems to focus on the idea of the family dynamic and how a shaft in that can have massive ramifications for those involved. It also examines fatherhood and the expectations, responsibilities, and failings that come with it. Ultimately we see through the Tenenbaums how our family dynamics shape us; for better and for worse. It is also a tale of forgiveness and reconciliation, but I’ll let you see how that one plays out for yourself.

As with any Wes Anderson piece, this film is filled to the brim with style. Everything from the set dressing to the camera movements has been meticulously orchestrated. As I mentioned at the top, if you like this style there is plenty to go around. There is also some sly Wes Anderson humor throughout the piece. One particular example of this that I really liked was when Bill Murray’s character is discussing a patient’s many ailments. I don't want to spoil the joke, but the delivery along with the camera movement is comedic gold. There are little bits of this clever comedy sprinkled throughout a story that can get pretty serious. It doesn't detract from the story it's trying to tell. The humor only serves to keep you engaged and offers some levity in this world. I love what Wes does. It's truly unique and no films from the past or present can come anywhere close to what Wes is able to do. This piece has the same style but has the substance to back it up. I highly recommend Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums.