Review: The Darjeeling Limited
Wes Anderson Film is a Beautiful Nothing, but not Nothing Beautiful
New Fox Searchlight Picture takes a voyage through India with Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrian Brody
Wes Anderson's newest flick, The Darjeeling Limited, is a distinctly Anderson-ian film. Quirky characters, dialogue with strong undercurrents, a strummy, guitar-filled soundtrack, and of course, Owen Wilson. A lot of people love Anderson, and a lot of these people are snooty hipsters who wear skinny jeans and read old French poetry. A lot of people hate Anderson, and a lot of these people would list nachos as a favorite interests, and probably own an autographed Steven Seagal photo. But if you fall into the category that digs Anderson then this is one of his best (second to The Royal Tenenbaums), and if you fall into the category that hates him, then spend your ten bucks on some cheese that melts easily.
One of the most surprising things about The Darjeeling Limited is that there isn't all that much going on. The story is pretty bare; three apparently affluent brothers take a train through India in order to reconnect. And despite a couple unique quirks, the three main characters (Adrian Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Wilson) are pretty much the same. Many, if not all of the plot threads tend to lead nowhere, offering little in the way of traditional closure (the man-eating tiger, Schwartzman and "Sweet Lime", and what's with the Bill Murray cameo?). Still, the film remains enjoyable and totally captivating throughout.
The great thing about Darjeeling, like a beautiful painting or a great song, is the feeling it provokes in the audience. The movie is less about a narrative and more about the mellow reflective spirit it leaves. Somewhere between comfort and melancholy, but definitely satisfying. Maybe it has to do with the superb use of music, or the awkward camera work that often feels reminiscent of decades old B-movie. Maybe it's the airy filmmaking that manages to stay one step away from feeling vacant. Whatever it is, The Darjeeling Limited is less a narrative than an emotion held together by a series of happenings and images.
So, if you're a fan of Wes Anderson films, or if you can take this film for what it is-a soft-spoken panorama of feeling and sound-then go for it. And if you're more of a Steven Segal kind of dude (and these certainly aren't mutually exclusive sets), you might just want to go ahead and rent On Deadly Ground for the sixth or seventh time. It's easier to digest, and won't leave you with much in the way of emotions.
