Review of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) by Matt P — 23 Sep 2011

A family of geniuses are summoned back together when their estranged father, Royal, informs them he has a terminal illness. Not sure how to approach any of this, the family (including the new boyfriend of the divorced wife) copes with the father. Some despise him, others can't be rid of the memories continually flooding through their brains. In the end, the family is at odds.

From its start one needs to be sure of what they are watching. Judging from its croaky narration by Alec Baldwin, along with its extreme circumstances and fairy-tale like structure it's the Wes Anderson film that epitomizes them all. When the film begins your half-expecting it to lead in with a "once upon a time," and sure enough, it pretty much does. The film progresses though series of chapters, illustrated and shown like slide-cards before the proceeding event. Mix this with the steady, head on shots you get of certain characters during their odd and eccentric lives and you've got what seems to be, for lack of a better word, fairy tale. This is Anderson's quirky style of an acquired taste, but when you compare it to the almost awkward situation you see the characters get into, the well-written script which the actors can balance off of you realize this is not your average family film.

When Royal (Gene Hackman) stays with his family (in a big castle like house in New York) he learns that his wife who he departed from (Anjelica Huston) is going steady with another, almost more sophisticated version of Royal (Danny Glover). Huson's dismissive personality fuels Hackman's sad performance. Jealous and angry, this is only one of Royal's main issues. His three kids, three geniuses, have all grown apart from him and two particular, Margot (Gweneth Paltrow) and Chas (Ben Stiller) want nothing to do with him. Richie, a professional tennis player played by Luke Wilson, was the closest and always the favorite. In hopes of rekindling and finally striking up a relationship with his son, Royal spends time horsing around with Chas' two young boys. The events they partake in are funny and amusing; they epitomize the film's general tone and message.

If you can look past all the strange predicaments that happen to this group of eccentrics you can see at heart this is a touching, wonderfully made film. It contains morals all families should look for, and entertaining directing style which every contemporary film maker should look at and admire. With a film that holds no grudges and absolves its characters past faults, "The Royal Tenenbaums" is a film where you can honestly use the phrase, "lived happily ever af.