User reviews

This is a film occupied with moments. Wonderful moments. It is not so much concerned with mechanics of plot but for me, it never got dull. Wes Anderson has matured in subtle ways and this film is a well crafted blend of the personal and the pageantry - Powell and Pressburger and Cassavetes. "The Rules of the Game" and "Husbands." "The Last Detail" and "The River."

The "spiritual journey" is used as pretext. Some people really don't like this. There is so much humor in watching three brothers stoned on Indian pharmaceuticals, trying to pray and getting sidetracked by arguments over stolen belts and confided secrets. They are flawed. People are flawed. Audiences tend to like their characters so likable that they are bland stereotypes. People can be privileged and disaffected AND still be beautiful and intriguing.

In the end, this movie is a fun ride. A stroll through various imaginative carts, occupied by compartments of colorful characters and incidents. Wes is further interweaving his "dollhouse" aesthetic with the real world. He is not so hung up on inventing every little thing and I could tell he was finding faces and peripheral details just as they were, waiting for him in India.

Nine bucks well spent for me. This guy's taking chances - some don't work. He's trying to push the medium forward in terms of tone. Some parts of his movies are difficult. Some people will get left behind. But for me, someone whose watched his films grow in scope and daring, I think he's an American treasure who may never arrive at the perfect film, but he'll continue to integrate cinema's history in new and exciting ways.

The Darjeeling Limited is certainly a visually appealing movie. The rich colors of southeast Asia mesh wonderfully with Anderson's penchant for precise set-pieces, and it make the entire experience a pleasure to watch. 

As for the rest of the movie, you probably already know if you're into Wes Anderson's brand of story. The father issues, the esoteric musical choices, the slightly surreal quality of each character - it's all here. The three brothers are well-conceived, with personalities that directly influence the overall narrative and the resolution. I liked it. It's more of the same, but pleasant enough to make that seem like a minor issue.

Oh, and be sure to watch the Hotel Chevalier short before The Darjeeling Limited. It helps fill in the back-story for one of the brothers, and it's an interesting movie in it's own right.

The Darjeeling Limited is unlike the average comedy. While not being truly laugh out loud funny, the film is clever, well written, with memorable characters and one liners that grow wittier over time. The only type of movie it can be compared to are other films by Wes Anderson, the director of Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and the love it or hate film, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. All of his movies are extremely stylized, with slow motion sequences, wide lenses that slightly distort the frame, and privileged, depressed characters with family issues all thrown together in a slightly artificial, timeless, carefully detailed environment. While with The Life Aquatic he may have tried to do too much, The Darjeeling Limited shows Anderson finally perfected his style. He knows when to throw inside jokes to his most loyal of fans, while keeping his stories fresh and personal, without acknowledging the critics who blame Anderson for repeating himself.

The film is absolutely engaging from the very start with a hilarious, memorable cameo by Bill Murray, trying to catch the Darjeeling Limited train in slow motion, yet is outrun by Adrien Brody's Peter to the tune of The Kinks' This Time Tomorrow, one of the three Kinks songs in the film (all are accompanied by slow motion sequences). Brody, Jason Schwartzman, and Owen Wilson play the three Whitman brothers, Peter, Jack, and Francis. Wilson's character has organized a spiritual journey through India with his brothers who have not spoken to one other since their father's funeral a year ago. Performance-wise, the standout is Wilson, in what might be his best role yet. Owen Wilson seems to play himself in all of his other movies, with Wes Anderson being the only writer/director to truly know how to use his talents. The characters begin to realize that one cannot force a spiritual journey, no matter how many temples visited and organized rituals performed for brotherly bonding as printed on a laminated itinerary. The bender that results is a ridiculously entertaining blend of comedy and drama successfully aided by Anderson's great choice of music and colorful, dynamic cinematography.

Extremely recommended viewing (other than Anderson's previous efforts) before watching this amazing film is Hotel Chevalier, a 13 minute short film directed by Anderson and starring Jason Schwartzman, available for free download online through Itunes. In the film, Schwartzman plays the same character that he plays in The Darjeeling Limited. Also starring is Natalie Portman as Jack's ex-girlfriend, who makes a brief cameo in the feature film as well. The short film helps establish Schwartzman's character, and provides clues on certain details of The Darjeeling Limited. Also, a couple of funny moments in the feature wouldn't make much sense without seeing the short. The emotional, yet blissful experience that is The Darjeeling Limited is Wes Anderson's best film thus far, defeating Rushmore for that top spot.

If you watch it carefully from the beginning with no preconception or bias the movie has immense subliminal humour and relaxation effect. It puts you in a pleasant stoned-like state if you watch it on a Friday after a hearty dinner:) Of all the movies I've seen this one doest it for me. You feel like buying a ticket - and going on a trip of your own. I do not like most of the actors but they have natural humour and played so brilliantly that I forgot the gripe. The movie does not force a sense of anything - you listen to the sounds of nature, the rural and the industrial landscape. The soundtrack is perfect. The 3 main characters are not successful or content with their lives yet they are forced to go on a "spiritual" journey because they once agreed to it (brothers). I imagine it is hard to market a situational comedy these days a la Wes Anderson, Cohen brothers, Jim Jarmusch with so many fast-paced bubblegum-plot flicks spewed by the industry. This plot would sound stupid if I hadn't known a family that did the same back when I was a kid.

After three viewings of "The Darjeeling Limited" I find myself quite certain that this is not Wes Anderson's best film in the sense that it's not his best-paced film and it may have some moments that are a little too heavy-handed. However, I find that these little flaws add to the charm of the film because of the way it is constructed and written. It almost feels like one is part of the journey and since no journey of this sort is perfect or fully enjoyable it's almost fitting that this film isn't

I laughed out loud more during "The Darjeeling Limited" than during any other Wes Anderson movie, although "Rushmore" is probably more of an outright comedy. This screenplay wasn't written with Owen Wilson, as Anderson instead chose to team up with Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman for this project, presumably due to Wilson being too busy to do it. The result is a slightly inconsistent (and, as mentioned before, heavy-handed) screenplay but one with loads of delicious irony, wit, and dry humor. It's great stuff, really. There is a lot of depth to be found here as well, especially with Anderson's use of recurrent imagery in the film. There is perhaps more maturity and understanding of human nature here than in any previous Wes Anderson films.

The acting is once again top-notch here from Brody, Wilson, and Schwartzman, and Anderson's use of music is again incredibly fitting and beautiful while also being perhaps less frequent and distracting than his other films, allowing less room for accusations detractors frequently make that Anderson is nothing more than a glorified music video director. Also of note while discussing music is the use of various Satyajit Ray compositions in an acknowledgment of one of his cinematic idols and main inspirations, not only for this film but in general.

"The Darjeeling Limited" demands multiple viewings. It is a rich, complex, detailed, and gorgeous film which is a unique and fascinating look at some familiar thematic material recurrent in Anderson's work. It's not a perfect film, but it's definitely one of the best films of the year.

I am a fan of Wes Anderson's movies. I liked all his previous offerings: Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Rushmore, in particular, was superb. All had a similar structure: character-driven, rather than plot-driven, dramas with moments of offbeat comedy and quaint bitter-sweet pictures of everyday people and the ups and downs of their lives.

The Darjeeling Limited is no exception, in terms of structure, and for the first half of the movie promises to be at least as good as his best (i.e. Rushmore, for me). However, it loses direction, focus and momentum in the second half, to the point that I was eagerly waiting for it to end.

It could have been a lot better.

Given the trademark quirkiness yet insight into many profound truths of human behaviour one would expect from director Wes Anderson, it should come as no surprise that his latest film, The Darjeeling Limited, demonstrates the majority of these traits with particular flair and distinction, arguably Anderson's strongest work to date.

The typically disjointed plot details three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman) who, in an attempt to bridge the gap between them, embark on a "spiritual journey" across India by train. Of course, considering Anderson's tendency towards offbeat comedic situations, and a series of problems involving Indian cough syrup, a poisonous cobra and pepper spray, the journey does not, of course, go as planned, and the brothers are forced to cope with their increasingly difficult situation and each other in turn.

Do not mistake the film for the conventional road trip buddy comedy it may appear to be - Anderson is far too eclectic and clever to subscribe to such traditional fare, and his film is instead a far more emotional effort. With a particular knack for intricate character and storyline development, Anderson's script carefully doles out tidbits of character history throughout, painting a gradual and remarkably detailed portrait of the central characters as the film progresses. Though the film may drag or feel as if it falls slightly short of its true potential at times, on the whole it is far to easy to be swept up by the film to dwell on such minor concerns.

The gorgeous Indian scenery is captured with particular affection by Anderson's jarring cinematography and sharp eye for intriguing colour schemes. The film's wonderfully fitting soundtrack perfectly compliments the sublime visuals, making for one of the most aesthetically pleasing films in recent memory.

The central three actors are the real draw of the film, and all three boast excellent chemistry throughout. Owen Wilson, as usual, is effortlessly funny as spiritually obsessive control freak Francis, but also brings a tragic undercurrent to his character, made more poignant due to recent real life events out of character. A superb Adrien Brody steals the show as the emotionally unstable soon to be father Pete, demonstrating both previously unseen comedic abilities, and genuinely affecting emotional clout. As bitter writer Jack, Jason Schwartzman proves proficient at raising many a laugh, but despite his strong performance is easily overshone by his two co-stars during the film's dramatic moments. Watch also for amusing cameos from Bill Murray and Natalie Portman (featured more significantly in the film's 13 minute prequel found online at www.hotelchevalier.com), and a somewhat forced supporting role from Angelica Huston near the end.

Like the rest of Anderson's other work, audiences will likely either love it or hate it. This is not a typical belly laugh evoking comedy à-la-Superbad - the humour present is more sly and chuckle worthy, and prides itself more on precisely crafted characters and situations than sight gags and one liners. Those willing to appreciate the film for what it is will enjoy an intelligent and touching spiritual meditation on family, and life in general. The joy is in the journey, and a journey as quirky and sentimental as this is one easily worth taking - for those willing to put forth the effort to overcome mainstream expectations, the film will not disappoint.

-8/10

Wes Anderson films are required viewing for the hipster crowd, and regardless of whether or not the movie's any good, it'll make money from the cult following. But coming out of DL, I feel like I'm a victim of marketing. A film needs more than some critically-acclaimed actors, a cameo Bill Murray appearance, a retro soundtrack, and some bright colors to impress me.

Don't get me wrong - I'm a fan. But I'm seeing a disturbing trend. What made the original "indie" films so successful was a good juxtaposition of all of these elements, along with an ensemble cast of characters who were quirky and likable yet flawed. The characters in DL are flawed but not particularly likable, beyond possessing the faces of actors who we already know and love. None of their quirks are very enduring, none of their actions are very interesting, and their relationships are mystifying. While we do eventually get some insight into why they are the way they are, some of the details of their important relationships are never explored. Are we expected to take everything at face value? I think comedy is at its best when the characters are relatable, and I just can't relate.

I found most of the soundtrack - particularly the first "short" at the beginning of the movie - terribly annoying, as if the bottom of the barrel is being scraped for retro tunes, which I know can't be true. The movie mostly lacks any semblance of symbolism, except for one moving scene, which is fairly isolated from the rest of the story. Bill Murray is on screen for a good 2 minutes in a completely insignificant role, seemingly added for fanservice purposes only.

This movie's been done before, and better. Others may be captivated by style alone, but to establish longevity of the genre, substance will need to evolve as well.

When deciding whether or not to see this film, the question is very simple: Do you like Wes Anderson's previous work? If you answered yes to this question, you will adore The Darjeeling Limited. If you answered no, you'd better spend your money elsewhere. I personally, fall very deeply into the former category. I've always been a huge Anderson fan and adore all four of his previous efforts, and this certainly ranks among his best (top three, easily). This is a much more guided, inspirational and personal work from the man. While his other features have been more minimalistic and set between a certain group of characters, Darjeeling takes on a much larger world.

The story is about three estranged brothers, Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman). About one year ago their father died and they went their different ways. Of course, nothing can start off too happy in a Wes Anderson world. Francis attempted suicide (the irony is painful), Peter is having a baby with his wife Alice who he always thought he would divorce and Jack is trying to get over a rough break up (some inside jokes for those who have seen Hotel Chevalier are included). Francis decides to reunite these brothers on a spiritual journey across India, via train, and everything happens to go horribly wrong.

The chaos that ensues is quirky, hilarious and utterly perfect for fans of Anderson like myself. The performances from the three leads are brilliant, particularly Adrien Brody whom I thought was going to be out of his Oscar-winning element but actually fit in so well that I preferred him to the rest of the cast. There is a huge turn into a more somber mood about halfway through that brings up memories of Luke Wilson's big scene in The Royal Tenenbaums (nobody tries to commit suicide, mind you) and the film picks up on the dramatic sentiment before jolting right back into the uniquely brilliant world that always keeps my sides in stitches. The man's genius is as strong as ever. This may be his best film and it's certainly his most poignant.

The film is kinda disjointed, and even though a lot happens there is only a few parts where it really feels like anything is actually happening. The characters and actors weren't bad, but I never felt too close to anyone. Overall though I enjoyed it. Wes Anderson's films are always positive, and I like the message of the importance of family relationships. The imagery and sound of India are always so beautiful as well.

This is such a DAMN GOOD MOVIE.

It's this bright, expansive, random, happy, sad, funny, stupid, and wise trip that these 3 brothers take, and I'm not here to give you the play by play. Watch the thing, and you'll see how it's not something that adds up to the sum of its what-not. It's just Not One of Those kinds of movies.

Instead, it's one of those that has to be seen to be believed, and is worlds-better experienced than recounted. It's a Trip. Through the spaces between people, as well as within India.

And Yes, it has much in common with the rest of director Wes Anderson's stuff, visually and thematically and tonally, in the best ways, if you ask me. I think he was really hittin' his stuff on all cylinders in this one.

Just So Much that's implied rather than stated. So Much in the way that people and relationships can be both lamented And celebrated. He just brings So Much to the screen, but always leaves that space that demands the audience step up and meet him on the platform, with our own individual "baggage" we've brought along. It's Great.

And maybe it was the way it was shot and cut and directed and acted, all very subtly, vividly, kinetically...

Maybe it was the way the characters felt really REAL, fascinating and absurd and pathetic and majestic, all at the same time.

Maybe it was because India is so bright and beautiful and exotic, to the tourist's and movie-goer's eyes.

Maybe it was just random enough and specifically-rendered enough to really hit me RIGHT THERE, but IT DID.

I enjoyed this more than any movie I've seen in a long time.

Real Art made with Real Heart.

So Sad and Funny and Just Damn Beautiful.

The Darjeeling Limited-**1/2-Worthwhile- Directed by: Wes Anderson. Written by: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwatrzman. Starring: Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Anjelica Huston, Amara Karan, Wallace Wolodarsky, Waris Ahluwalia, Irfan Khan, Barbet Schroeder, Camilla Rutherford, Bill Murray.

Director Wes Anderson continues his trend of original, droll comedies with yet another original comedy about three brothers that go to India to reunite and reconcile their relationship with each other and their eccentric mother (Huston in a funny role). Along the way, they build trust and keep secrets from each other.

Anderson is a clever storyteller with lots of resourceful and creative visuals that reflect his ability as a filmmaker. His humor is droll as always and contains witty dialogue that holds our attention in unison with the clever visual effects. Anderson establishes himself as always within his films and remains uncompromising in his storytelling with lots of social satire and brotherly love thrown in for good measure.

The only flaw with this film is the fact that there is no story here other than a good idea with a lot of great looks and style. That is Anderson's main weakness as a writer/director is his lack of a compelling story to place all his talent into. The film's length reflects that flaw at 91 minutes and still feels a bit longish in the whole scheme of things. I respect the ideas of the movie and the cinematography's smart and appealing look, but I cannot justify style over story even with such a talented filmmaker like Anderson behind the camera.

Rushmore made me a huge Wes Anderson fan. I rushed out to see Royal Tannenbaums and loved it. Although Life Aquatic had some cool moments, I left that movie feeling pretty deflated. But okay, all directors are allowed slip-ups. When I saw the preview for Darjeeling I got really excited, and couldn't wait to see it. Unfortunately, it's another big disappointment. All of Anderson's great visuals are there, and it's eye candy just like his other films. But, the film is really about very little; and anything it is about is not of great substance or original. This is a great shame as his early films really managed to fuse style and substance in a unique way. I hope this great director finds his course again. I so wanted this film to work, and it just fell flat. I was bored ten minutes in. Owen Wilson doing Owen Wilson got irritating, and as much as I love Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody, they didn't show more than about 3 expressions through the movie. I'm sure there are many die-hard Wes Anderson fans out there who will rave about the brilliance of this film, but if they're honest with themselves, they'll admit it's time for Wes to come up with something really new.

Greetings again from the darkness. You have to hand it to Wes Anderson ("The Royal Tenenbaums"). He certainly explores facets of personalities that most never really give much consideration. Watching these three dysfunctional brothers on their journey to no particular salvation is an absolute marvel.

The parallels to real life notwithstanding, Owen Wilson gives one of his best performances and reminds us that there is more to his talent than the mindless muck he so often associates with. Adrien Brody is the brother who just can't let go of their deceased father, and co-writer Jason Schwartzman is just perfect in his role. Certainly, I would encourage you to see the film prior to anyone spoiling the details for you, because as with life ... the joy is in the journey! Also, special thanks to Wes for including the under-appreciated Stones' song "Play with Fire".

Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzmann as three brothers who haven't spoken for years, on a train. In India. By Wes Anderson.

It's a good idea, isn't it? No...it's a great idea. Three good actors in three-well written roles in an open, exciting and unpredictable environment, while they're also stuck with each other in a cramped an uncomfortable train carriage. With more than a little baggage...

However, despite the bright, new and fantastically shot environment and the well-cast new member of the Anderson family, The Darjeeling Limited is what has become a typical Wes Anderson film. Despite its relocation from the suburbs, or more recently, the deep blue sea, it's still a film about a dysfunctional family and their endeavours to become...slightly more functional. The comedy is derived from sibling tension and the conflicts of the past, and even the music, that typical Anderson blend of quirky yet affecting relatively unknown tracks which is very good and works in all the right ways, feels comfortable and expected despite its "newness".

I seem to be griping because Anderson's fifth movie is as good as the others. And in a way, I am. The Darjeeling Limited is the work of a director who has found his groove (or in this case, his track) and doesn't show signs of trying to get out of it. As a result, not much of it really feels surprising. It's just as well he's good at what he does then, isn't it? It's the way Anderson handles the family drama that sets Darjeeling apart. While it's funny in all those idiosyncratic ways, making light of familial relations and awkward interactions, Anderson's warm, tender approach draws you into the lives of these characters. And, because of their respective flaws and quirks, they become more than characters; you can see them as people.

Anderson's movies have always had genuine heart buried not too far below the layer of offbeat style, so despite its familiarity, Darjeeling is arguably in this respect his best work. You can see a part of yourself in each of the Whitman brothers, and in cinema there is no substitute for that.

I wanted to like this movie much more than I did since I've liked many Wes Anderson movies in the past. This movie just didn't do all that much for me, though.

Sure it's shiny and detailed and Wes Anderson has a distinctive visual style. He can repeat motifs over and over. He can play up his own little inside jokes for his fan base, give them a wink as if to say "isn't it fun being part of my club." The fact is that I didn't actually feel like the characters were in any way real. They were all exaggerated cartoons. I know that's Wes' style and it works sometimes, especially in the more comedic moments and when the characters weren't mostly just a stuttering of themes without direction. Thanks for showing us your stylistic twitches.

As profound as this movie wants to be, it often came off as simply pretentious and too clever by half.

I'm sure the people will fall all over themselves to defend this movie, say it's the best thing ever made and they're happy that they're elite enough to understand it while anyone who criticizes it didn't truly understand.

Fine, reinforce your clique if it makes you feel better.

But perhaps I (and others who criticize it) understood it just fine, but didn't have a need to try reading in as much profoundness, where there really wasn't much of actual substance there. Lots of style, lots of repeated elements, lots of flash. No one would claim that it's lacking in style, just that it lacks in believability and real feeling. The cartoon characters didn't tug at my heart strings, sorry.

It's probably worth seeing for its stylistic elements, I just wouldn't go in counting on lots more than that.

Wes Anderson's greatest strength as a filmmaker, in my opinion, is his ability to elevate something simple and basic into something majestic and extraordinary.

The Darjeeling Limited is a simple story about three brothers who go on an international trip to find peace in their minds and relationships; which we've already witnessed countless times before, but the way it has been told & presented to us is quite remarkable to say the least.

Mr Anderson has brought his oddities, his trademark quirkiness, and made his movie stand out from the crowd, making it distinctive. Furthermore, the three leads' electrifying chemistry makes it all the more lively and exciting.

I admit that arrogance is in the atmosphere of all of Wes Anderson's films and his style will probably never change, but I LOVE every single one of them (even the overblown "The Life Aquatic" gets me giddy). He knows how to push my emotional buttons and entertain the hell out of me, something that I find rare in most movies I watch. Usually if I want to be entertained, I feel the movie has to compromise the emotional value and vice versa. With Wes, I'm laughing, being entertained by the characters AND caring for them. The second that Adrien Brody ran past Bill Murray in slow motion running toward the train as The Kinks' "This Time Tomorrow" kicked in, my heart started racing at the idea that I was about to watch a new film by Wes, which I look at as something special that comes every few years. Wes' detractors complain that he is a pretentious one-trick pony, a true statement, but to me, not a negative one because I love his universe and I love being invited into it in every one of his films. While I love both of them, I occasionally wish that Tim Burton would make a film that wasn't some kind of Gothic fairy tale, or that Paul Thomas Anderson would make a film that didn't star his own ego. With Wes, I want him to just continue what he's been doing: keep using his same awesome style while taking baby steps of progress. The writing, acting, directing, soundtrack, production design and cinematography (okay, EVERYTHING) are top-notch in "The Darjeeling Limited". Hell, if "Rushmore" wasn't such a damn masterpiece, I'd say Wes has made his best film yet.

Directed by Wes Anderson. Starring Adrian Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Amara Karan, Waris Ahluwalia, Anjelica Huston, Wallace Wolodarsky, Barbet Schroeder, Irrfan Khan, Camilla Rutherford. (R)

Three disaffected brothers travel through India on a self-described spiritual journey, bickering and bonding and trying to come to terms with their family and individual lives. Anderson brings his usual mannered and self-conscious style to the proceedings, but the main characters aren't particularly amusing or arresting; in fact, spending time in their company is rarely pleasurable, nor is their odyssey especially rewarding--the symbolism of discarding their literal baggage near the end is transparent, but there's no sense that it's even earned. Drags at times, making that trim hour-and-a-half running time feel much longer. At least the framing and art direction make it engaging to look at (a stylized but not-likely-authentic travelogue), and Anderson continues to use pop music exceptionally well, especially the wonderful Kinks numbers. Natalie Portman can be spotted briefly towards the end (she co-starred in a short film, "Hotel Chevalier," with Schwartzman that serves as a prologue to this story); Bill Murray also cameos.

56/100