Vol. 4, No. 4, April 2008
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The Darjeeling Limited
DVD Review
Wes Anderson has a brilliant grasp on developing the dysfunctional character. From Boomer in The Royal Tenenbaums to Dignan in Bottle Rocket, he knows how to write for and develop the unconventional character. The Darjeeling Limited showcases Anderson’s abilities better than any other movie he has done.
The movie is not nearly as comical as Anderson’s previous effort, The Life Aquatic, which was a flop by conventional standards. What it lacks in comedy it makes up for with a realistic development of the main characters.
The story centers around three brothers trying to find themselves amidst a train ride through India. Francis Whitman (Owen Wilson) is the eldest brother who is leading Pete (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) on a journey of self-discovery. The brothers are heading across the Indian continent to see their mother (Anjelica Houston) a year after the death of their father.
What starts as a simple train ride fueled by Indian pharmaceuticals turns into an adventure that leads the brothers to find out who they really are and how they fit into the family and the world. The road to self-discovery is neither simple nor easy, especially after they are kicked off of the train for what some would consider a simple brotherly fight.
While Anderson is very much the kind of director that people either love or hate, The Darjeeling Limited is definitely a movie with something to offer everyone. It’s moving and sentimental without being ostentatious and it’s comical without being overly irreverent or light. The movie is also a vibrant travelogue, capturing the brilliant colors and exotic local of India.
Fans of Anderson will enjoy seeing how he has advanced in his abilities to develop characters and move along a story, while those unfamiliar with his previous works will simply be treated to a moving story about three brothers who find a function for their otherwise dysfunctional lives.
