The Royal Tenenbaums
2001 · Directed by Wes Anderson
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all geniuses. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father's fault. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.
What it’s like
Symmetrical, storybook compositions in dollhouse rooms, with pastel palettes of mustard, powder blue and burgundy, and a warm, slightly faded glow that makes old apartments and mansion corridors feel like preserved snow globes. Camera moves are deliberate tracking shots and slow pans across tableaux, punctuated by sudden slow-motion and a hand-drawn chapter-book inflection. The score is a wistful blend of Mark Mothersbaugh-era pop and Van Morrison-style soft rock, with needle drops that land like memories. The vibe is wry melancholy with a stubborn tenderness: deadpan, bittersweet, and quietly hopeful, the sort of film to sit with on a grey winter afternoon or as a comfort rewatch with a cup of tea. Its pacing is brisk and episodic, with dry, clipped dialogue that lets feelings surface in pauses. Its people are wounded, vain and absurd, and the arc follows estranged adults slowly, awkwardly reckoning with one another and their own failures. Intensity is low: some cigarette smoking, a suicide attempt handled with restraint, a brief bloody accident and mild profanity, but no sustained violence or sexual content. It suits viewers who want quirky, character-driven drama with melancholy and forgiveness, and an affectionately odd family to live inside for two hours.
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