The Darjeeling Ltd. is the new film from Wes Anderson, who’s previous work includes The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zisou. Both were well written and cinematically interesting. Tenenbaums is one of my favourite movies of recent memory, actually. I love that film.

The Darjeeling Ltd. is a bit slower in pace, but shares a plot with the same quirky nature. All of Anderson’s films include children estranged from their parents, in various flavours. In virtually all of his films, the incredibly beautiful Anjelica Huston plays the estranged and aloof mother. She does so here, and her brief moments on film are a highlight, as well as a climax to the loosely defined plot.

Bill Murray has a cameo as well, at both the begining and end of the film. He speaks not a word. The wonderfully amusing Kumar Pallana who played Pagoda in the Tenenbaums is here again, although I would have loved to have seen him used more than he is.

As usual, the camera plays with physical space. There’s a wonderful montage at the end where the camera pans to the right from disconnected room to disconnected room. From a train, to a hotel, and onwards: the occupants lives are connected, although their rooms may not be.

Anderson has also been accused ot painting broadly with the music of the 1970s playing long over dramatic, melancholy scenes (often shot in slow motion.) This happens here as well, but the scenes are so good it’s hard to level this as a criticism. It’s a bit like calling Blade Runner too slow; it’s essence of the film, and part of the reason it works. If you like The Darjeeling Ltd., you’ll like these scenes.

It’s a film that’s well worth liking, and should stand up to repeated viewing for those who choose to do so.

Posted by skooter at 5:57 PM This entry is filed under Entertainment.
This entry is tagged: Movies, Wes Anderson