The Darjeeling Limited
Schwartzman, Wilson and Brody embark on a muddled spiritual journey.
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Thursday, 22, Nov 2007 11:29
Directed by Wes Anderson, out November 17th, starring Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, running time 91 minutes.
In a nutshell...
Weird and wistful wanderings around India
What's it all about?
Jack, Peter and Francis are three American brothers who have barely said a word to each other for a year since their father died. The eldest, Francis, played by a bandaged-up and strangely engrossing Wilson, seeks to bring the three together once again in order to find themselves and each other. The venue for this coming together is the Darjeeling Limited, a train full of a vast array of characters making their way through India.
Predictably from a film directed by the man who brought us The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Royal Tenenbaums what ensues is a fantastical fairground ride of a movie with a substantial dollop of whimsy, nostalgia and a search for something never clearly defined. Along the way the brothers - perhaps the most normal in outlook being co-writer Schwartzman's character Jack, the youngest - indulge in some snake smuggling, on-train sexual encounters and rather too many prescription drugs. Carefully choreographed by Francis and his assistant Brendan (Wallace Wolodarsky), the brothers have every future move documented in laminated format. Needless to say things don't exactly go to plan and a trip to see their mother (Anjelica Huston), who has turned to an Indian nunnery to find herself, only ends in further heartache.
Who's in it?
The triumphant triumvirate have obviously been carefully picked by the distinctive Anderson. Schwartzman joined his director and Roman Coppola in heading out to the subcontinent and penning this film, at least in part a result of the trio's experiences while there we're led to believe. He also played the peerless Max Fischer in 1998's Rushmore and works well here as the straight foil to his more eccentric brothers.
Wilson, another seasoned Anderson pro having played the main protagonist's probable son in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and co-written The Royal Tenenbaums and 1996's Bottle Rocket, is a bordering-on-OCD near-father figure to his siblings. His efforts to manufacture a meeting with their estranged mother without his brothers knowing are ultimately doomed to failure and the fact that his character's face is almost mummified after a crash somewhat overshadows his performance.
Oscar winner Brody plays middle brother Peter whose prize possessions are a belt and glasses bought by his late dad, while Huston is the slightly unnerving mother-turned-nun and Bill Murray - another Anderson favourite - makes a cameo appearance as a businessman who fails to make the train. British actress Amara Karan plays Rita - Jack's train toilet conquest - and A Mighty Heart's Irrfan Khan is the grieving father of the Indian boy the brother fail to save from drowning.
As an example...
Francis: "I want us to become brothers again like we used to be."
Likelihood of a trip to the Oscars
Wes Anderson was nominated for best screenplay for The Royal Tenenbaums at both the Oscars and Baftas but won neither. This film is not as original, not as engrossing and simply not as good as that offering in 2001 and it would be a very strange turnout indeed if this were to succeed where its predecessor failed.
What the others say
"To call The Darjeeling Limited precious is less a critical judgment than a simple statement of fact, equivalent to saying that the movie is in colour, that it's set in India or that it's 91 minutes long. It's synonymous with saying the movie was directed by Wes Anderson." - A Scott, New York Times
"It's visually wonderful, of course, but if the production design were matched by a more substantial, emotionally engaging story, the film would have had a lot more going for it." - Channel 4
So is it any good?
The main problem with the train ride Anderson and co send the Whitman brothers is that it doesn't really go anywhere. Just as the trio fail to truly find themselves as they go on their spiritual journey, the film doesn't really seem to know what it is all about. It's been billed as a seriocomedy and therein lies the problem. We have three actors who want to amuse but aren't really given the chance.
This is certainly not Wilson's best effort. He seems unsure whether his role is meant to be comedic or tragic. Indeed, arguably the best screenplay and acting comes in the short film which preceded The Darjeeling Limited at film festivals, Hotel Chevalier. In that Jack Whitman, who has relocated to the Parisian hotel after a messy break-up, is visited by his former flame (played by Natalie Portman) and post-coitally tells her he could never be her friend. Alas, this 17-minute scene-setter for the rest of the film is set to be saved for DVD, but it very nearly showcases Anderson's talents at their best - he can do romance after all.
As for the main event, there are moments when the emotional baggage the three brothers carry around with them extends beyond the matching suitcases and holdalls they share as a legacy to their dead father. The interlude when they are finally forced to confront a semblance of Indian culture which most of the film is devoid of is a pleasant respite and Brody carries off the slightly neurotic middle brother to good effect. But ultimately this road trip lacks an ending and a middle - and the best part of the beginning is reserved for a separate film.
The Darjeeling Limited has its moments but on the whole it is an uncomfortable ride.
5.5/10
Martin Ashplant