The Darjeeling Limited

If you went into The Darjeeling Limited knowing nothing about it you would certainly be able to tell it was a Wes Anderson film. All of his usual visual flourishes are here, but just barely. This is Anderson's loosest and most mature film.

In fact, the film from the Anderson canon is most closely resembles is Bottle Rocket. But where in that film the restraint seemed to come from budgetary reasons, this one feels like a conscious decision. Sure, there are the slow motion sequences set to pop music and the asymmetrical framing but there are also other touches not often seen in an Anderson film, slow zooms in on conversations and just the everyday activities of life in the background. I don't want to say the film is anything like real life (I am certain a train like this wouldn't exist) but it is Anderson's most down to Earth film.

I think the thing I like most about the film is something that some others may actually detest. There is very little story involved in this it is basically just three brothers at different points in their lives trying to reconnect. It has a meandering quality to it, things just happen, then the next thing happens. You never get the feeling you are only moving forward just to hit certain plot points. Even when the film does become more plot driven it is handled in such an unorthodox way that isn't heavy handed.

This movie also contains what may be Owen Wilson's best performance since, well, ever. I think part of the reason the film reminded me of Bottle Rocket was Wilson. His Francis actually seems a bit like what Dignan from that film would be like if he got rich when he was older. Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody are also both really good and all three of them have a great familiar dynamic.

Anderson also does something interesting when establish his scenes. Instead of showing a normal establishing shot of a certain location then cutting to the scene he shows an establishing show then pans the camera to the characters. It's really a small thing but it just adds to the overall quirkiness of the film