Review of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) by Joe C — 27 Apr 2012

It is with trepidation I begin this review with an embarrassing fact from the annals of my life. I have never seen a Wes Anderson movie before. And if The Royal Tenenbaums is anything to go on, I've really been missing out.

I think this might be the flagship film in a subgenre of comedy I've dubbed "intelligent comedy." The comedy is misplaced, sometimes dark, most of it is never spoken, that is its in the scenery and cinematography, and chuckle inducing at best in lieu of laugh out loud. It may not be to all tastes, and you won't like everything you see, but if you're in the mood to watch a clever, quirky, funny movie, and not lose yourself in stifling laughter, this film hits the nail on the head.

There is an essence of considerable time and money put into this film. Describing the unique nature of this film is difficult to explain without overusing using the word quirky. Wes Anderson's directing style reminds me of Paul Thomas Anderson's (no relation) directing style if that means anything to you. He captures dysfunctional characters in their natural habitat excellently. It's a brilliantly successful blend of tongue-in-cheek comedy and drama that come together sublimely.

As with movies that are painstakingly well put together, at best it'll beguile its adherents, but it will never wow them because there's no risk. This isn't really a criticism, more of an insight into how my mind works. Most comedies have intermittent periods of intense hilarity with down time in between. This film is less intense, but keeps the humor consistent throughout the whole film. What I'm trying to say is, on average, this is one the best comedies out there.