Only Limited by Awesome

“The Darjeeling Limited” proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is physically impossible to leave a Wes Anderson film in a bad mood. The director’s signature style (one of the few in modern cinema that is so recognizable) and his ability to capture the beauty in even the simplest moments of life evoke the wonder and joy of the world no matter what the outcome of the film, though his film’s endings are mostly happy too.


I would pray for less large noses in the family.

Jammed packed with Anderson’s classic themes of sibling relationships, parenthood and finding yourself and full of his classic deadpan humor “The Darjeeling Limited” is one of those films that leaves you smiling for a good while afterward. Three American brothers who haven’t spoken since their father’s death one year ago hop on a train across India at the prompting of the eldest, Francis (Luke Wilson). The objective of the trip is blatant and refreshingly self aware on Anderson’s part: they want to find themselves. Peter (Adrian Brody) is working on issues of fatherhood, while Jack (Jason Schwartzman) has relationship problems – which are set up in the short film “Hotel Chevalier,” directed by Anderson and available on ITunes – and all three are struggling with the death of their father and the disappearance of there mother.
Like other Anderson films the humor is dead pan and blatantly true to life all while having a fantastical feel to it. Unlike other Anderson films the father/elder figure is missing here, signaled by a brilliant cameo from Bill Murray. The focus of this film is not how men raise boys, but how boys, no matter what the age, become men. It makes for a film that seems selfishly focused on three men but truly encompasses an entire world. The family dynamics are spot on and anyone with a brother will testify that the interaction between the three is reminiscent of every brother’s relationship.
The only real problem with the film is that it doesn’t seem to have the same heart or emotion that films like “The Royal Tenenbaums” did. While the movie is thematically strong it lacks the real emotional punch that the best of Anderson’s film’s have.


My quick google search did not turn any truly colorful shot up.

Of course this film doesn’t need any of those aforementioned themes or even dialogue because the country of India and Anderson are a match made in heaven. A simple travelogue of India with Anderson directing would keep any viewer enticed. The colors are so vibrant and the framing so spot on that even the most humble home or railway car explodes with life. There is nothing Anderson does better than capturing the simple beauty of a simple moment and “The Darjeeling Limited” is crammed full of them. From the opening shots of a speeding car to the extended shot of a train rolling along the tracks at the end of the film, India looks and feels gorgeous from every angle.
Such is the magic that “The Darjeeling Limited” and really all of Wes Anderson’s films have. The ability to take normal life and elevate it to a colorful, enchanting world that once seen enlivens reality too.
Five out of Five. See it in theaters. Not his best work but so far there hasn't been any bad Wes Anderson.

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Nothing But Heartbreak

The Farrelly brothers: three words synonymous with the kind of gross out humor that causes strong convulsions of either laughter or vomiting. In their hey day their movies were smart, original and shocking enough to evoke laughs from even the most censored soul, but more recently it just seems like they are trying too hard to out do every other film and television show which jumped onto the sophomoric humor band wagon. Such is the case with their most recent film release “The Heartbreak Kid” (Rated R, Running time: 115 min.)
The most basic problem with the film is that the brother’s callous and slapstick humor doesn’t fit very well with the movies story. In “The Heartbreak Kid” Eddie Cantrow (Ben Stiller) finds himself on his honeymoon with his new wife Lila (Malin Akerman) after only dating her for six months. Needless to say they have to get to know each other a bit better and when they do Eddie finds he may not be as in love as he thought. This is confirmed when he meets his supposed dream woman in Miranda (Michelle Monaghan) who is vacation at the same Cabo resort as the newlyweds. Eddie decides to cast away his new wife and go after Miranda instead.


Before Eddie is married the movie actually has some promise. Of course that is only ten minutes or so.

The story and themes of the film are suited for a far darker and more respectful comedy and in fact were in such a comedy when the original was made with Cybil Shepherd in 1972. Stiller and the Farrelly brothers treat the subject of marriage and love with about as much respect as one of their plethora of fart jokes and evoke far less laughs and far more groans. Eddie throws away his bride on their honeymoon and “falls in love” with a different girl and instead of insightful jokes about rushing into marriage we get Ben Stiller freaking out at a Mariachi band for a solid two minutes before breaking it off with his new wife. Could have been funny, but really just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
Maybe I’m just old fashioned in my belief that marriage can’t be cast aside with a simple phone call and a light joke but the overall feel of the film is that marriage, love and other people in general really don’t matter as long as you can work in a joke where someone pees on someone else. It seems insulting to people who go through real divorce and even more insulting to those who actually try to work through their marriages that the Farrelly brothers wouldn’t even attempt to lift this comedy above simple stupid humor.


I'm not sure if they were going for another Cameron Diaz with Akerman, but she is hot. Unfortuantely she's more annoying than funny.

Truly there is absolutely no heartbreak in “The Heartbreak Kid” because no one seems to feel any true emotions; they just want to participate in over the top antics. The sex, urine and bodily function jokes – which can all be funny - just seem out of place when discussing the subject of divorce. No, the only true heartbreak here is that the Farrelly brothers just don’t seem to be able to get back to the funny.
Two out of five. Rent it for some laughs. Your experience might vary too, I was very off put by the entire film.

Trailer