Like many, I have been a very serious fan of Wes Anderson and Co. -- having seen and loved both Bottle Rocket and Rushmore. Tenenbaums is a more ambitious film than the first two in that the plot tries to carry more main characters and just the overall general production is more "big budget" in its feel and look. Unfortunately, I feel Anderson bit off just SLIGHTLY more than he could chew. Most disappointingly, I didn't feel that powerful deep connection to the film or the characters that I felt with his first two films. Perhaps, it's because there were just too many lead characters and it is near impossible to draw a viewer in on so many. Additionally, some of the characters stunk. The Danny Glover character was either poorly written or poorly acted. I found it to be cliche. I was really disappointed and distracted with the stupid cheap sight gags of Glover falling in a ditch or accidentally bringing his tie to his glasses. That type of crap is meant for Saved By the Bell not for someone of Anderson's ability. I was shocked. Bill Murray was boring and flat and offered nothing to the film. Anyone could have played his role. Ben Stiller as usual, was not bad, he does have "something," but he also wasn't remarkable. On the contrary however, Gwenyth Paltrow and Luke Wilson were devastating and dead on--I was riveted whenever each was on the screen.
Another gripe is that I felt Anderson tried to be a little too cute in the film with everyone's little quirks and the strange lack of time--the movie is in the present day, yet the people wear clothes from the 70s and 80s. And lack of place-- Why was New York so non-descript? Why the Gypsy cabs (which don't exist), the fake street names, etc? The matching jump suits, Luke's anachronistic 70s look, the outdated medical equipment in the house (that none of the geniuses seemed to pick up on)? I found this not believable and once again, distracting and fake. BUT, after further thought, to be fair--I realize, perhaps that is Anderson's point--to make a fantasy type world, where everything doesn't have to be "real life" to a T. I don't know though... Rushmore and Bottle Rocket, for all the extreme weirdness of their characters, still were somehow (to me at least) very believable. Where they had quirks, I believed them and was locked-in to the film, and in Tenenbaum's I was a bit distracted by these anachronisms and character quirks.
Despite the gripes, Anderson is in a class by himself. I would never even be this critical of a film if the director didn't warrent my analysis time. In 3 films, Anderson has achieved an instantly recognizable style--a tremendous feat. His camera work is deep and meaningful. The scene of Margot coming off the bus while Richie is waiting, is to me, as good as film EVER gets--it destroyed me. Also, Richie's suicide scene is very powerful (and not in cheap way), nice use of Elliot Smith soundtrack and blue-ish hues to for appropriate and effective intensity. Ultimately, I would take a flawed work of a true artist and master like Anderson any day over a meticulous but "same 'ol same 'ol" spy movie, melodrama, or who-done-it by the rest of the Hollywood or indie hack directors. Anderson is an original and so Tenenbaum's is worthy of anyone's time. If his next film combines the grandeur and scope of Tenenbaums (production-wise) with a slightly sharper script and a little bit less trying to be quirky and making me laugh every second at a stupid sight gag--it will be undeniable. Rock on Wes.
Another gripe is that I felt Anderson tried to be a little too cute in the film with everyone's little quirks and the strange lack of time--the movie is in the present day, yet the people wear clothes from the 70s and 80s. And lack of place-- Why was New York so non-descript? Why the Gypsy cabs (which don't exist), the fake street names, etc? The matching jump suits, Luke's anachronistic 70s look, the outdated medical equipment in the house (that none of the geniuses seemed to pick up on)? I found this not believable and once again, distracting and fake. BUT, after further thought, to be fair--I realize, perhaps that is Anderson's point--to make a fantasy type world, where everything doesn't have to be "real life" to a T. I don't know though... Rushmore and Bottle Rocket, for all the extreme weirdness of their characters, still were somehow (to me at least) very believable. Where they had quirks, I believed them and was locked-in to the film, and in Tenenbaum's I was a bit distracted by these anachronisms and character quirks.
Despite the gripes, Anderson is in a class by himself. I would never even be this critical of a film if the director didn't warrent my analysis time. In 3 films, Anderson has achieved an instantly recognizable style--a tremendous feat. His camera work is deep and meaningful. The scene of Margot coming off the bus while Richie is waiting, is to me, as good as film EVER gets--it destroyed me. Also, Richie's suicide scene is very powerful (and not in cheap way), nice use of Elliot Smith soundtrack and blue-ish hues to for appropriate and effective intensity. Ultimately, I would take a flawed work of a true artist and master like Anderson any day over a meticulous but "same 'ol same 'ol" spy movie, melodrama, or who-done-it by the rest of the Hollywood or indie hack directors. Anderson is an original and so Tenenbaum's is worthy of anyone's time. If his next film combines the grandeur and scope of Tenenbaums (production-wise) with a slightly sharper script and a little bit less trying to be quirky and making me laugh every second at a stupid sight gag--it will be undeniable. Rock on Wes.
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