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Your enjoyment of this film will probably depend quite strongly
on what your expectations of it are. If you see the names Ben
Stiller and Owen Wilson in the cast and expect to see a slapstick
comedy in the style of 'Meet
the Parents' or 'Zoolander' then you may leave the cinema
disappointed. However, if you see the name of the director Wes
Anderson and expect something along the lines of his quirky
1999 effort 'Rushmore', you may be well rewarded.
Gene Hackman leads the big name cast as Royal Tenenbaum, who
along with his wife Etheline (Anjelica Houston) have raised
three children. Well, Royal didn't really raise them because
he left when they were about ten. Consequently, each has grown
up with a range of neurotic issues. Chas (Ben Stiller) was a
financial wizard as a child, but since losing his wife in a
plane crash, has become ridiculously protective of his two children.
Richie (Luke Wilson) was a US tennis champion who burnt out
at age 26 and is in love with his sister Margot (Gwynneth Paltrow).
Margot is actually adopted (a fact that Royal does not let her
forget) and wrote plays as a youngster but has since become
a chain smoking layabout in a loveless marriage to the much
older Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray).
After introducing each of the characters.most of the film focuses
on what happens when Royal gets kicked out of the hotel room
in which he has been living for many years, an event which prompts
him to try and reconnect with his estranged family. I guess
in some ways this is a story about redemption and whether Royal
can in any way make up for his complete ineptitude as a parent
and a husband. In other ways, it is a satire which pokes fun
at an over the top dysfunctional American family. What this
film is NOT is laugh-out-loud funny. For this reason, it is
unlikely to appeal to those looking for easy laughs as the humour
is a little more subtle. For example, the funniest scene for
me is one where Chas and Royal hold a meeting inside a small
cupboard which is stacked with old board games (which is only
funny if you start reading some of the titles and can claim
to have ever owned any of them).
If you like being told when to laugh, you'll probably want
to steer clear of this one. However, if you like your comedies
to be dark and offbeat, or if you want to see an all star cast
who (probably unnaturally) underplay their parts wonderfully,
then you will find plenty to enjoy here.
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