From what I have gathered from Anderson's Royal Tenenbaums and Life Aquatic, I figured The Darjeeling Limited would be another deadpan cookie cutter since many of choices frequently involve similar actors in 2 or more of his films. I would hate to admit that this movie did grow on me midway through.
The casting of the three "brothers" Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman actually worked as they gossip, fight and bond through this interesting "spiritual" journey. Anderson meticulously unravels each of their personalities with detail and intrigue without too much exposition thrown in all at once. The scenery of India and its environment was very appeasing to watch with the different types of people in this huge conglomerate of culture. Anderson throws in his occasional trademark diagonal close ups in certain shots to give it that grind house 70's look. The Indian natives acted perfectly natural and nothing seemed pre-staged in the way they go about their day to day lives.
Angelica Huston has a cameo in the end as well as a frequently used Bill Murray while neither were all that awe inspiring. The spiritual journey doesn't really mark anything in the end and is a bit confusing to what the movie was trying to accomplish as far as a moral other than the unity of the trio. The rather open ending was nonetheless the downfall due a lack of climax. I am still trying to wonder about the justifications on why the trio continue to ride the trains though there are more important matters in their lives that they should attend to. (Spoiler) Why would Brody's character want to remain bound to his brother when his wife is close to giving birth? The movie does continue to be complacent in its execution without any justification.
I recommend this movie for any Anderson fan though it isn't for everyone. The scenery and the chemistry between the three brothers are probably the movie's biggest strengths.
The casting of the three "brothers" Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman actually worked as they gossip, fight and bond through this interesting "spiritual" journey. Anderson meticulously unravels each of their personalities with detail and intrigue without too much exposition thrown in all at once. The scenery of India and its environment was very appeasing to watch with the different types of people in this huge conglomerate of culture. Anderson throws in his occasional trademark diagonal close ups in certain shots to give it that grind house 70's look. The Indian natives acted perfectly natural and nothing seemed pre-staged in the way they go about their day to day lives.
Angelica Huston has a cameo in the end as well as a frequently used Bill Murray while neither were all that awe inspiring. The spiritual journey doesn't really mark anything in the end and is a bit confusing to what the movie was trying to accomplish as far as a moral other than the unity of the trio. The rather open ending was nonetheless the downfall due a lack of climax. I am still trying to wonder about the justifications on why the trio continue to ride the trains though there are more important matters in their lives that they should attend to. (Spoiler) Why would Brody's character want to remain bound to his brother when his wife is close to giving birth? The movie does continue to be complacent in its execution without any justification.
I recommend this movie for any Anderson fan though it isn't for everyone. The scenery and the chemistry between the three brothers are probably the movie's biggest strengths.