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A conniving old man, a safety nut, and a dog named Buckley live in the same house…. No, it’s not the beginning of a bad joke. In fact, it’s The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson’s newest comedy. Back in their hey-day, which we don’t know when it was, all three of the Tenenbaum children were geniuses, each in their own individual way. Chas was a Wall Street investor, Margot was a playwright, and Richie was a tennis pro.
Gene Hackman is Royal Tenenbaum, the father of the child prodigies. He spilt with his wife Etheline ten years after getting married, but still siring the three children. He lives in a hotel, which he doesn’t pay for, and he isn’t exactly an honest man. Royal never spent any time with his family, and they all hate him.
Anjelica Huston is Etheline Tenenbaum. She was a typical mother of a successful trio of geniuses. She always put them first. Since breaking up with Royal, but never divorcing, she has had many suitors, but has never considered marriage until Henry Sherman asks her.
Ben Stiller is Chas Tenenbaum. His wife Rachael died in a plane crash a year ago, making Chas increasingly paranoid and safety-oriented. He has two boys, Ari (Grant Rosenmeyer) and Uzi (Jonah Meyerson), who do what their father tells them to do, even though they don’t enjoy it. Chas also has a dog, Buckley. He decided to move back to his childhood house after deciding that his isn’t safe anymore.
Gwyneth Paltrow is Margot Tenenbaum. Whenever Royal introduced her, he said, “And this is my adopted daughter Margot Tenenbaum.” She’s been smoking ever since she was twelve, although nobody knows about it. She is constantly depressed and lives in a marriage, unhappily, with Raleigh St. Clair, which caused Richie to give up tennis. She also has stop writing plays.
Luke Wilson is Richie Tenenbaum. He quit playing tennis two or so years before he had to stop. He has been living the last few years on the sea, and states to his friend Eli Cash that he has fallen in love with Margot. Richie blew up at a tennis match after seeing her with her new husband.
Owen Wilson is Eli Cash. He has always wanted to be a Tenenbaum, since he lived across the street from them. He is now a promising writer who also happens to be in love with Margot and is a drug addict.
Danny Glover is Henry Sherman. He is one of Etheline’s coworkers, and has hidden feelings for her. Once, he proposes to her, but she is still legally married to Royal. He has a bumbling sort of attitude. Henry helps Etheline run a bridge class every week.
Bill Murray is Raleigh St. Clair. Raleigh is a famous scientist who is studying a boy who has amnesia, dyslexia, and color blindness. He is completely in love with Margot, but her feelings towards him are indifferent.
Surely these colorful characters can’t be connected. Of course they can, and don’t call me Shirley. Anderson can create a wonderful world that is not unlike New York. However, something I adore about this is that we do not know which time period it takes place in. Also, their clothing stays the same for almost the entire movie.
Royal claims that he has stomach cancer, which causes this family to reunite for the first time in 17 years. Of course, things don’t work out the way he planned. If you’re not a fan of “quirky”, such as Ghost World, this probably isn’t your cup of tea. If you like offbeat stuff, this is your best bet.
The Royal Tenenbaums had humorous moments, poignant moments, sad moments, and awkward moments. This combination isn’t easy to make, but Anderson makes it work. I laughed, I cried, and I had an Amsterdam good time. The music was upbeat at times, but also mellow and sad when the time called for it. It just worked in a great way. I can’t think of anything more to say about this excellent movie, so just go to your local video disco and rent it!
Rated R for some language, sexuality/nudity and drug content.
Review Date: March 23, 2003