The Royal Tenenbaums [DVD] by Owen Wilson

I first saw this film as a sixteen year old on a family outing to the cinema not having heard of Anderson or the film itself. Family outings not being a regular thing at all for me it is extremely coincidental/fortunate/fateful that we should have seen together that night what I now regard as the most moving and funniest films about family relationships I have ever seen (On a par with the Sopranos for me).From the opening scenes with an instrumental Hey Jude the film put a smile on my face introducing the delightful unashamedly quirky characters.The ensemble cast really shines with no one actor trying to steal the show. The attention to detail Anderson shows is immense from costumes to locations (the main house in the film is an actual house redecorated and designed to Anderson's vision) to multiple two second shots (such as Buckley the dog in a cage in the aftermath of a plane crash).I have friends who don't like this movie and I really can't understand why not. The humour may not be everyone's cup of tea. Arrested Development was hugely influenced by this movie and this is also a huge crowd splitter. I am of the general belief that if you really love something and most people don't get it or like it, then you are right, it is great. Maybe you need an understanding or experience of depression, divorce, rejection, suicide, unrequited love, acceptance, loss, jealousy, regret to relate to the characters but who hasn't experienced some if not all of these things.Generally if you're a "deep thinker" you will love this film.Buy it now.

Great film indeed

Al ost five stars. The best and only freat film by Wes Anderson, the only one that balance his dolls-hous kind of world with some real characters and a freat ability in creating a familiar setting where you do not feel like an uninvited guest. In other films he will not succeed in engaging audience, but just in showing, over and over, the same style and situations, with characters becoming more and more like puppets. Here they are all strange but the balacnce between estrangement and drama, bittersweet and tragic comic view of life and a self-pleased creation of the director's mind and obsessions, allow the film to be enjoyable but not cold, detached and empy. Probably Anderson was still fresh and actors did their best (Gene Hackman is the real drive of the whole film and we know how he can make the difference). Fantastic blu ray

Wes Andersen's films all share an atmosphere that is special to his work definable as both bleak and yet at the same time oddly heart-warming. He looks straight at the heart of the pain of all the characters but allows them to find redemption in their relationships with each other. They are also able to exorcise their anger and resentment about their absent father and express finally their long repressed rage. The 3 children share the common bond of their extraordinary hot-house childhood, home educated and brought up to be the best at their chosen profession by their eccentric single mother who manages brilliant career as an archaeologist of her own at the same time. If it sounds depressing it really isn't. This is a film that gives you back faith in people's ability to survive and be happy despite the pains of growing up to feel different, exlcuded. It's laugh-aloud funny in a way that makes you smile in recognition at the emotions exposed.The film exemplifies the words of the French writer Colette: `you can never be cured of your childhood'. Andersen's film agrees but offers the alternatives of love and forgiveness as a panacea at least.

The last Wes Anderson film I saw at the cinema had half the audience in tears with amusment, and half stunned in bewilderment. I fall into the former catagory, and adore his twisted sense of humour, where deadly serious moments of drama are used to deliver brilliant comic lines- this leaves me a little guilty at laughing sometimes, but laughing none the less. But there are a lot of people who just don't GET Wes Anderson. I can only agree with any number of reviews here, that the characters in this movie are superb, an amazing cast, amazing performances. Most films made are rubbish. This is a rare exception. Like another reviewer, I have about 140 dvds, but unlike him, I rank this amongst my favourites. I can't guarantee you'll like this movie, but it IS good.

Hilarious and witty comedy, Yet another great film by Wes Anderson. Royal Tenenbaums is basically a film about a dysfunctional family's dynamics, showing the relationships of each of the characters with the main protaganist, Royal Tenenbaum - played wonderfully by Gene Hackman. The whole cast are pefect, with my favourite performances coming from Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller.The soundtrack as always with a Wes Anderson film is fantastically indie and only adds to the style and feel of the film - with songs from; the Rolling Stones, Nico, Nick Drake, The Clash, Paul Simon, and Van Morrison, though my favourite has to be Mutato Muzika Orchestra's version of "Hey Jude"Absolutely love this film and definitely recommend you give it a go, If you haven't seen it you are definitely missing out.

From the opening credits, I loved the whole film. The cast is superb and the acting consistently brilliant. The story - three siblings back under one roof for the first time since they were each a child genius - is excellent - dark and comic and strange. Luke Wilson in the most melancholy role I've seen him in, Ben Stiller for once not playing for laughs, Owen Wilson as the truly preposterous academic, Eli Cash, Paltrow in her most watchable role by a mile, and Angelica Huston as the calm and dignified wife called upon to house her dying estranged and disgraceful husband and his faithful retainer. Everything about this film is brilliant.