Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) is the definition of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. For instance, when he tells his grandsons that their mothers death is unfortunate because “she was a terribly attractive women.” Also, in critiquing his childrens play he tells them that there was no character development “just kids in animal costumes.” Its not that he intends to be so cruel, its really that, as he says, just his style.

The Tenenbaums grew up in a large house in Manhattan. Royal and his wife Etheline (Angelica Houston) have three children, Chas (Ben Stiller), Margot (Gwyenth Paltrow), and Richie (Luke Wilson). All of them were child prodigies. Chas was a financial whiz who had his father, a prominent litigator, disbarred and imprisoned for stealing bonds from him. Margot was a playwright, who is also adopted, a fact Royal never forgets to mention when introducing her. Richie was a champion tennis player and Royal’s favorite. Across the street lived Eli Cash (Owen Wilson), who now writes western novels that receive at best mixed reviews, but the sales are good.

All of them have fallen on hard times. Chas, who has two sons Ari and Uzi, is a widower, his aforementioned wife dying in a plane crash. He has yet to cope with the loss. Richie, who left tennis in disgrace, travels the world in an ocean liner. Margot is married to Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray), but spends most of her time sulking in a bath tub smoking cigarettes, and having an affair with Eli. In spite of his relative success, Eli has a drug problem. Royal himself has been somewhat replaced by Etheline’s business manager and soon to be fiance Henry Sherman (Danny Glover).

Chas and his two sons return home, as does Margot, to work out their issues. Richie returns when Royal shows up announcing that he is dying. He’s actually broke, but he does have high blood pressure. He needs a place to stay more than he wants his family back. But throughout the film the balance tips from the former scenario to the latter, as Royal discovers what he has been missing out on. Only when he has lost everything did he realize what was important.

Royal certainly doesn’t do a complete turnaround, but he proves its never too late to change. Its hard to choose a standout because the entire cast is excellent, many of them giving their better performances in already distinguished careers. Hackman is simply brilliant, how he wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar is absurd. His care for his family underlies his manipulative and dishonest behavior. In spending time with his grandsons, Royal teaches them how to steal, gamble on dog fights, and throw water balloons at cars. His intention to spend time with them is admirable, of course his actions are more questionable. Despite being such a dislikable person, he is so intriguing that you start to sympathize with him as the story goes, and especially at the end. Proof of Hackman’s effectiveness.

Etheline is the centering character and doesn’t have the clever lines, but Houston plays the good cop to perfection, the glue that holds the family together even during the worst of times. She is the complete opposite of Royal, honorable and responsible. Stiller’s dry deliver and sense of timing is on target for someone unable to deal with his emotions. Glover deserves mention as Sherman, although not as much fun as Royal, he brings a dignified quality to the role of father figure. While admittedly not as wealthy as Etheline’s previous suitors, Sherman proves that there are more important characteristics than money. Paltrow and the Wilsons are exceptionally understated in their performances, depressed and desperate in their own ways. Only Murray seems to be underutilized, but his character is more secondary, and he has his enjoyable glum moments.

Director Wes Anderson (Bottlerocket and Rushmore) has created a story that exists in its own time and place with Beatles and other sixties style music, and classical background music. The clothing has a retro look, and retro seems to always be in fashion. The Royal Tenenbaums is both bizarre and unpredictable, not just for the sake of it like a David Lynch film, but in a touching and very amusing way, probably because family and its relationships are indeed bizarre and unpredictable.

Rating: ****