10.22.07
Review:The Darjeeling Limited
Three brothers search for enlightenment on a trip to India to heal some old family wounds in an attempt to save what little affection they may have left for one another. Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrian Brody are rightfully cast as the three estranged brothers who haven’t spoken to one another in a year. In the Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou director Wes Anderon seemed enthralled with the ship, the way it framed the characters, and the timeless nature of a journey on the high seas. He once again taps into this motif but now takes us on a trip through India on the train where the film gains its title.
Anderson doesn’t hide his themes instead he blatantly wears it on his sleeve for the entire world to see. He’s not hiding the obvious nature of this trip to supposed enlightenment as three white men search for meaning by praying in front of statues, purchasing exotic clothes, and have anonymous sex with the local women. Each brother has his vices and for better or worse it also doubles as the very thing that makes each one distinctively stronger then the others. Owen Wilson is Francis; the oldest that instantly takes charge and makes all the decisions for the group. Adrian Brody is the one most affected by the death of their father, prone to taking things that don’t belong to him, and running away from his wife who is 7 months pregnant. Jason Schwartzman is the ladies man who can’t decide whether or not to remain in a relationship that he realizes is not right for him. (Played off screen by Natalie Portman.)
As if their personal troubles weren’t bad enough they can’t seem to trust each other or get along just a couple of minutes without an argument. Their deeply routed communication troubles are the real focus of this surprisingly upbeat meditation on the artificial search for peace versus the far more realistic approach of simply living day to day. Anderson makes an important point of showing us that the stops they take along the way to find artificial enlightenment are shallow and does very little to mend their troubles. Its what they discover when treading off the beaten path that inevitably gives them the strength to face their fears and learn to trust each other.
I normally cannot stand films that throw subtlety out the window. It’s usually a deal breaker for me when I cannot get past how obvious certain films are about their wittiness. Characters who are given peculiar ticks merely for its own sake, a desperate attempt to make your dull cast of characters more interesting then they actually are. Its lazy writing, and for the most part its something I always seem to fear going into a Wes Anderson film, but somehow it’s the very thing that makes this film so charming. The characters aren’t pretentious snobs, the plot is simple and endearing, and the over all themes are not trying to be witty, they just are what they are. I’ll be damned if it doesn’t just work and I loved every minute of it.
4/5
