Review of The Darjeeling Limited (2007) by Carl P — 02 Feb 2012

Relatively enjoyable film, however there were moments where it felt like the film was set in rural America, not the colourful vibrant India we all know and love. I felt it didn't take true advantage of this setting, shots on the train were understandably claustrophobic, after all the transport in India is a bit manic and packed. However, the trend for tight shots inexplicably continued when the brothers got off the train and enter the vast world. You could argue that India is claustrophobic everywhere, and this is true, however the screen wasn't packed with extras, so why not through in some wide shots to show the true madness of the country? Perhaps I'm nitpicking, but to me it was a big deal to make the country seem so small and empty.

You only need to look at Slumdog Millionaire or Outsourced for the real Indian vibe, or if your interest is a bit broader, take the time to watch A Map For Saturday.