Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
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.
The Royal Tenenbaums is one of Wes Anderson's most distinctive and fully realized works — its symmetrical compositions, muted color palette, and deadpan tragicomedy give it an utterly singular visual and tonal identity that earns a top Novelty score. The ensemble cast (Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson) deliver performances of remarkable nuance and restraint, with Hackman's Royal being a career highlight. Cinematography is meticulous and iconic, practically defining Anderson's signature aesthetic. The plot, while charming and emotionally resonant, is somewhat episodic and meandering — it functions more as a series of vignettes than a tightly constructed narrative, which limits its score. The ending is bittersweet and fitting but not particularly surprising or cathartic given the buildup; it resolves things a touch too neatly for the melancholy that precedes it.