Review of Rushmore (1998) by Carlos M — 18 Dec 2016
Wes Anderson's lyrical, offbeat coming-of-age comedy "Rushmore" is a true original. Max (Jason Schwartzman) is a precocious overachiever who attends a prestigious prep school where he spends more time in extra curricular activities than in his studies.
He falls for a first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams) while befriending a local business tycoon (Bill Murray). The humor is droll and eccentric but there is an underlying desperation that is poignant. It has parallels to "The Graduate" but it is less calculated and more heartfelt than that.
Bill Murray gives one of his finest performances as a successful businessman suffering a mid-life crisis. Murray is very subtle here showing an adult who is capable of acting like a juvenile while expressing shades of loneliness and regret.
Anderson uses a symmetrical mise en scene but it isn't over composed in a manner that would mar his later movies. The Scorsese-like soundtrack with music by Mark Mothersbaugh, consisting of British invasion rock songs, is fresh and inspired.
Selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. Written by Anderson and Owen Wilson. With Brian Cox as the school headmaster, Mason Gamble, Seymour Cassel, Connie Nielsen, and Luke Wilson.
This review of Rushmore (1998) was written by Carlos M on 18 Dec 2016.
Rushmore has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
