Note: As always, see Rober Ebert's review for a plot synopsis and for another point of view.
Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited is beautiful. It's main characters are bodies in orbit around an intangible and invisible center — family. Their orbits criss-cross and diverge in familiar ways, even family ways. The three brothers and their mother act in ways that evoke a typical family to most. Without taking too much time, the three brothers are Francis L. Whitman (Owen Wilson), Peter L. Whitman (Adrien Brody) and Jack L. Whitman (Jason Schwartzman). Their mother is Patricia Whitman (Anjelica Huston). There are other characters who are wonderful, but these four are the core — the orbiting bodies.
The most interesting aspect of this film is that it is about details, so much so that Mr. Anderson even employs slow motion several times. I'm sure that most of his films are full of details, but I noticed it prominently with this one. This is essentially a short film that has been expanded. I don't say that in the way such a thing is said of TV shows that become movies. I mean that the brother bit is so familiar that a short in the train car could have told a fine story, but we are treated to minor triumph in the lives of these men with a longer story.
My image of the orbiting planets is not accidental, the story is circular as are the lives of the members of this family. Or any family, for that matter. Just as in real life— this distinction is important not just because this is a work of fiction, but because it is borderline absurd — these brothers are imprinted with their own personalities. And those personalities don't change, even as they become better brothers. They each exhibit interesting and superficially outrageous traits and flaws. Francis, the firstborn, is both a leader and bossy. Peter, the second born, is competitive and resentful. Jack, the baby, acts like the baby with his constant refrain of "I don't know". Jack interests me because Mr. Schwartzman collaborated with Anderson on the screeplay and stars in the short before the film, The Hotel Chevalier (Really a prologue and vital to the whole experience). He's created a character that is not unlike his Louis in Marie Antoinette or even his character in Shopgirl. My first inclination was to wonder why, then it just came to me: Maybe they're not acting so much as being. Think of Wilson's ex boyfriend in Meet the Parents or even his voice-over Lighting McQueen — he's always the firstborn.
As they orbit, the brothers not only criss-cross and separate, they also bump into each other. The traits and flaws that are exposed on this bizarre trip into India provide some repeated pleasures. I particularly liked the way that Francis couldn't help, but to direct everything. Mr. Wilson strikes a balance between knowing that this is potentially a flaw in his character and not being able to control it. I feel like this is unusual, that normally actors are too self-aware and tend toward being tentative or cruel in their performances. A great example comes in the dining car as Francis is ordering dessert, he's been told that Peter hates when he orders for everyone. Francis begins ordering for everyone, stops and acknowledges that Peter wants to make his own choice, then proceeds to needle Peter with the choice Francis has already made. Peter agrees, reluctantly, that he wants what Francis said. It's as illustrative of Peter as it is of Francis and Adrien Brody is great as the brooder. While these men hardly seem to be different in age, though Jason Schwartzman is probably the younger of the three, their characters are well enough written and the performances well enough given that we're convinced.
And then there's the mother. Angelica Huston has never been one of my favorites, but I love the work she does with Wes Anderson. Here she is close shorn with a rough boyish haircut and untreated silver hair — she's fabulous. Her screen time is brief and much about her character and her location is a twist in the story. I won't give anything away except to say that it's clear that she's their mother. They take after her in ways that I found both surprising and typical. Also, she's so frank — she has the best face for frankness. When she says something that is direct, the effect is that she's just answered whatever question you might have had. And her eyes...
So much more can be said about this film: the ancillary characters are amazing and vivid or the locations are characters too and so on. Because I've focused on some things and not others, you need to see it so you can fill in the blanks I've created. If you've seen it already, throw in some stuff that you love below. A word of warning, and perhaps admission, see another recent Anderson first if you're a newbie — The Royal Tenenbaums or The Life Aquatic will do nicely. Actually, here's the admission: I'm a post-Rushmore Anderson fan. Which is to say that I saw Rushmore back when it was released on VHS and didn't enjoy it, but saw The Royal Tenebaums and The Life Aquatic and loved them. I can add The Darjeeling Limited to that list. Now I have to rewatch Rushmore and see what I've been missing.
PS There's a scene in a river that appears to break the movie in two. It becomes serious, whereas it hadn't felt too serious until then. I think it didn't feel serious because the brothers weren't taking their own lives seriously and we bought into it. Peter, in particular, has much to get serious about. Tragedy kick starts him and begins moving him in the right direction. There's a wonderful detail in this scene, one that touches me as a father: a boy holds another boy's hand. The context breaks your heart, it happens when the boys and the brothers are looking for their father.
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