Brotherly Love

"The Darjeeling Limited"

All aboard!  Let's take a trip across India via train with the Whitman siblings.  Francis (Owen Wilson,) the eldest, decides it'd be best if he and his two brothers Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) go on a spiritual journey through India after not having spoken for a year.  The film is written and directed by Wes Anderson so for those of us who are familiar with some of his other delightful works (Rushmore and The Royal Tenebaums) we know what to expect.  There should be quirky characters speaking witty dialogue while looking for some sort of fulfillment from their lives.  The Darjeeling Limited delivers on these expectations on a positive but slightly milder note than Anderson's aforementioned work.

Despite the fact that Francis, Peter, and Jack are all suffering from sort of depression in their lives the three of them remain quite likable characters throughout the film.  That's due to the perfect chemistry the three leads have with each other.  We do believe Wilson, Brody, and Schwartzman are brothers.  There's a certain quality they each bring when on screen together sharing scene after scene.  These guys could've grown up together.  

Each brother has his own set of personal problems but they do band together for this beautiful trek across India in hopes of coming together again and eventually reconnecting with their estranged mother (Angelica Huston.)  Anderson doesn't quite fill in all of the gaps of everything that's happened to these guys but in a story like this we learn just enough about these characters and what they have been through.  Everything that's happened to Francis, Peter, and Jack over the course of one year since their father tragically passed away comes pouring out in ways that only Anderson would know how to express.

Like any distinctive Coen brothers or Woody Allen pic you can also tell you're watching a Wes Anderson flick.  He has a very specific way of writing characters and banter that make it so you either love or hate his films.  The Darjeeling Limited is limited in plot but unbound by its character development.  It's always the characters Anderson creates that we grow to like and remember.  The Whitman brothers are full bodied figures that fit perfectly into this story.  This is a story that takes us on an emotional excursion touching upon what it means to be content, dealing with loss, love, pain, and unity.  That seems like a lot of ground to cover in only 90 minutes but somehow Anderson and his actors manager to charm us.

The Darjeeling Limited may only cater to certain audiences that understand Anderson's type of humor and storytelling abilities but it does please us on a number of other levels as well, particularly those who like character driven pieces.  This is a film that features some gorgeous photography from Robert Yeoman as well as splendid performances from its three leads, especially Wilson.  The Darjeeling Limited isn't going to turn any heads but it does come together quite nicely and further compliments Anderson's body of work.  Having siblings who are also brothers would probably further the appreciation for the picture but is not a requirement.