Reviews > The Darjeeling Limited

After watching the truly lacking “Hotel Chevalier” (the prologue of sorts to “The Darjeeling Limited,” available online), I found myself worried about the prospects for the feature film. I’ve been a Wes Anderson fan for years, but with “Hotel Chevalier” I felt like I finally got why so many people found him grating. Despite this rocky start, or perhaps thanks to my lowered expectations, the film was a pleasant surprise.

Anderson, writing with Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, tells the story of three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Schwartzman) who go on a spiritual journey to fix their relationship and find their negligent mother (Anjelica Huston) who has become a nun somewhere in India.

A word of warning: If you’re expecting a hilarious comedy that will have you rolling in the aisles you won’t find it here. “The Darjeeling Limited” almost doesn’t seem interested in comedy. There are certainly funny moments here and there, but in some ways it was refreshing that it didn’t feel like Anderson was directing the film from punchline to punchline. In other words, it’s entertaining without being too jokey.

Anderson is up to his usual stylistic tricks, much to the chagrin of a number of detractors out there. Apparently, to some, gone are the days when having a distinct voice was a good quality. The shots are extra-carefully composed, slow motion is employed (maybe a wee bit too much, admittedly), 1960s pop music, dry humor, distant and damaged characters of apparently great affluence and education, the whole kit and caboodle. He uses these skills as well as he ever has, and there are even a few uncharacteristic shots using a shaky zoom lens. Who says Wes Anderson never tries anything new? For about four seconds I thought I was watching a Paul Greengrass movie.

“The Darjeeling Limited” is not perfect. This is not the one film you must see this year. This is not an “important” film, so to speak. It’s a simple film about the ever-complex relationship between family members, especially siblings. For a film with the kind of vast desert landscape that you would expect to find in a grandiose epic, it’s admirably humble.

-David Morgan