Rating: 
Summary: Tragically Underrated, Most Brilliant Film of 2001
Review: This film hits on all the emotional bases. I saw it thrice in the theater and have viewed it at least three times since on dvd. Gene Hackman was robbed at the Academy Awards as his role as Royal may be the finest performance of his career, and undoubtedly one of the best performaces in this millenia. However, this film is not for the intellectually challenged or those of dim wit or dull perception. I guess one need possess a minimal level of cinimatic appreciation in order to grasp the brilliantly presented material served up by Wes Anderson and Luke Wilson. It's all about the subtle details; the Mansion on Archer Avenue, the 375th St. YMCA, the Gypsy Cab Service, all fictional entities set in an anachronistic Upper East Side of Manhattan. Bonus points for Royal's Brooks Brothers wardrobe. Enough can't be said about the quality of performances by Hackman, Houston, Glover, Stiller, Paltrow, and the Wilsons. The perfect blend of art and entertainment. This film possesses the kind of artful qualities rarely seen in today's gamut of spoonfed, mainstream, action/thriller/good guy vs. bad guy Hollywood garbage. Mandatory viewing in my book!
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent (wes) Anderson.
Review: This movie was a breath fo fresh air in a very stale year for movie making. The co-writer (along with Owen Wilson) and director of Rushmore, has made another thoughtful, funny, heart-warming film. All the performances in the movie are solid, with very good ones from, Gene Hackman, Gwynneth Paltrow, and Luke Wilson. The soundtrack (like all Anderson's movies) fits perfectly with the film itself. I have absolutley no beefs about this film, everything was as it should be, and I came away feeling very happy i purchased it.
Rating:
Summary: under rated,
Review: I guess this movie is a hit or miss, by looking at the reviews. But I found every part of it to be very amusing. From the well written characters to the absurd plot. It is very slow, but so entertaining. When I heard that a lot of people did not like it, I was pretty suprised. I am not sure what was hard to follow for some, but I guess it just isn't for people that need to watch fast plots, with explosions and Special Effects.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious! People with limited intelligence might not get it
Review: This movie is hilarious, and has a rare quality... "rewatchability". For the whole, people with short attention spans or limited intelligence probably not like its wit and dry humor. The comedy is very subtle much like a good British comedy. I needn't explain the plot line, the cast is filled to the top with stars from all walks of life and contribute marvelously to the screen play.
Any one who has seen the movie will know the feeling of should I buy this on DVD or not.. my friends don't get it. Well don't listen to them, you are a viewer with taste and wont settle for some cheap VHS of the "Jerry Springer Show's best strippers"
This is a good way of screening prospective friends too. Watch it with them and note their reaction, if they don't get it, you probably wont get them...
Rating:
Summary: I've Never Met People Like That Before..........
Review: I was born and grew up in Southern California, and it was very refreshing to see how people live on the opposite side of the country from where I live. I know this is not the story of the typical standard family. However, why not? Why can't it be? For some people on the East coast, I am sure it is pretty similar, this movie just exaggerated it a little. One difference in particular I noticed, was that every character in the movie took a taxi everywhere. In California, we HAVE to drive everywhere. Also was refreshing was how a neuro- psychiatrist married a high-school drop-out genius. Wow! This is truely amazing. I have never seen this happen before. This would never happen out here in California. Yes, I am resentful because I kind of look like Margot Tenenbaum, am 36 and have never been married before. This movie, in a word, is AMAZING. If you have a Master's degree or higher, like I do, it is highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Worst Movie
Review: This was absolutely the worst movie I had ever seen. Save yourself the time and aggravation. The only thing that was funny on this movie was that I actually rented it.
Rating:
Summary: A simple well made movie
Review: This is one of those movies that aren't so complicated. It's just a simple funny movie. Some people might get bored by it but I enjoyed it quite a bit. The acting was terrific by everyone. Gene Hackman gave a great performance, Ben Stiller was awesome as always and everyone else was great too. A truly must watch and then buy movie.
Rating:
Summary: Love it!
Review: This movie is bursting at the seams with dry humor and detail. The tone is set by the narrator as a sort of documentary of how a family got to this particular state of resolution. I am surprised at how polarized the reviews are; this appears to be a movie that either you "get" or you don't.
Rating:
Summary: Duped and Disappointed
Review: Don't waste your money on this slow moving, dismal comedy. Big name actors and a defibrillator couldn't bring this "comedy" to life. The biggest disappointment of all was popping it into the DVD player, pushing play and hearing the voice of Alec Baldwin coming through the speakers. Never would I have spent my hard earned AMERICAN money on a film that employed this America-hating, so-called actor who should have left the country long ago.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent fare!
Review: If you have seen and enjoyed movies like Rushmore or Forget Paris, which dont pander to a mass sense of humour, i.e. of the the slapstick 'Spy who shagged me' genre, then it is quite likely you'll love the Tenenbaums. I found this movie delightfully funny, the characters have very well conveyed inner and outer conflicts, acting is superb, you'll find yourself empathizing with the characters and hoping for their successes...Tenenbaums is even more surreal and eccentric than Rushmore. Similar flavor and setting, a kind of dreamlike zen journey for meaning for various characters against a backdrop of the disillusioned/dysfunctional educated middle class, with themes of lost and found relationships/selves/true-loves. But this depiction is subtle. In fact, the movie's greatest assets rest in the untold and unexplained bits of the film and the tongue-in-cheek stabs at all of the characters, people (with the exception of Pagoda, The Butler) who have been taking themselves way too seriously for way too long and their discomfort around their father, a man who never took anyone seriously in his life, least of all himself. The characters in Tenenbaums are kind of like caricatures At the same time, the movie is touching in many ways, visually beautiful, and if you have any sort of taste in music, you can't help simply loving the soundtrack. Absolutely 5 star material and one for your collections.
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