THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS

This is one weird movie.
It's quirky and kind of dark, but it's also kinda sweet.
Co-written and directed by Wes Anderson, who also directed Bottle Rockets and Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums shows the most heart of the three.

I'm in awe of these movies with big casts and intertwining stories, and while this is definitely no Magnolia, there is a lot to take in here. But since for the most part it's done for laughs, it doesn't feel heavy at all. Still, I credit Anderson and co-writer (and co-star) Owen Wilson for doing a great job.

The great Gene Hackman does it again. It's amazing how he just continues to be amazing despite the fact that he's like 100 now. OK, I think he's 71, but still, he's great.
Angelica Houston is also great here, as the matriarch of this weird family. I've never paid much attention to her, but whenever I do see her, she's great.
Gwyneth Paltrow is, as always, perfect. I dunno how she can play such a variety of roles and still be so perfect. I guess that's where the talent comes in. Go figure…
Ben Stiller is pretty good here too, but his is a surprisingly serious role. At times I thought maybe suddenly he'd do something funny, and he IS quirky, but he's pretty serious throughout.
Danny Glover surprised me in this movie. I don't remember the last time I saw him in a movie, but I think he did a good job, as did Bill Murray, who looked really old, but I can't tell if it was make-up or just that hey, he is getting old.
I think I was most impressed by real life brothers Luke and Owen Wilson, who of course don't play brothers here because that would be too Hollywood. While Owen shows up in a lotta movies, I don't see too much of Luke. He impressed me though, as the head band wearing tennis star. Actually, at one point when they show him as a youth they show him behind a drum set, and I couldn't help but wonder if that was in anyway a reference to Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, who was well on his way to becoming a tennis star in his native country (Holland?), but then quit to become a drummer instead. But probably not, because quite frankly, why bother making that reference?
Anyway, Luke and Owen are very good here. Really.

I liked this movie.
It was weird, and some of the humor demands an acquired taste, but it works, and the performances are all superb.
One thing though, I dunno if the narrator is supposed to be a surprise, so I won't reveal the voice, but that person's shown up in strange places lately.
Kinda cool.
So yeah, go see this movie.

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