Rating: 
Summary: Laughs APLENTY!
Review: Yes, there are certainly plenty of people who don't get Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson movies. There are also people who don't get gross-out comedy or even romantic comedy. People are simply different. And so are the Tenenbaums - different enough to laugh my way through the whole movie. At the first showing that I went to of The Royal Tenenbaums, the theater chuckled and broke out into laughter almost every minute or so for the first 4/3 of the movie before Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay" transitions the comedy to drama. While I'll admit most of the humor is subtle, tt's difficult for me (someone who has now seen the movie six times) to see how people wouldn't laugh at lines like, "well, your mother and I made certain sacrifices as a result of having children" when Chas asks if their divorce is the kids' fault - or Owen Wilson's line, "Everyone knows Custer died at Little Big Horn. What this book presupposes is: maybe he didn't?" - or parts like Luke Wilson's tennis scene "Tenenbaum has taken off both of his shows and one of his socks and I believe that he's crying. A strange day here at Windswept Fields." Along with literally hundreds of other very funny parts as well as genuinely dramatic moments, this film is easily my favorite among the ones I've seen in the past 5 years.
Rating: 
Summary: Godawful
Review: Hackman is the only saving grace here with a few funny lines, with the possible exception of the cowboy whom you get to see in his underpants. Paltrow and Stiller are miscast, the story line is ho hum.
Rating: 
Summary: Genius is as genius does.
Review: Not to say that Anderson is a genius, but he's certainly one-of-a-kind. This nerdy auteur is batting a thousand on my scorecard. With BOTTLE ROCKET, RUSHMORE and now with THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, Anderson and his cohorts (especially the Wilson bros.) prove that smart movies can also be fun and incredibly entertaining. And RT is definitely all three and then some. As in RUSHMORE I am amazed at how much background he gives each character, usually with a simple montage, and even more so here as this ensemble cast is rather large. These are fully fleshed out creations who you know are living their lives in some parallel world right now. The dialogue is brilliant, the performances are top notch (although Murray's character is a bit of a throwaway), and the set/costume design create a strangely unfamiliar New York City (we know the movie takes place in the present because of the G4 Macs, etc., but it feels timeless and anachronistic). The tragi-comic situations that the characters go through rival those of characters in books by the likes of John Irving and Kurt Vonnegut. This also gives the movie (like RUSHMORE again) a more literary than cinematic feel. If this had been a book I would have loved it. As a movie it's simply marvelous. My official rating is four and a half stars, and I am already anxiously awaiting the DVD release.
Rating:
Summary: Best Film of 2001
Review: The Royal Tenebaums was definitely the best movie of 2001. It is a character driven dramedy that has a lot of stylistic similarities to Wes Andersen's preceding movie, Rushmore. I'm going to be THAT GUY and say that those who did not think this movie was funny are typically looking for the low brow humor that the Farrely Brothers offer. If you are looking for an intelligent comedy, see this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Loved It
Review: I literally did not want this movie to end. I thought it was slick, the writing was dense, the sets were great. The colors were incredible. It's not a laugh outloud flick, but i dont' think it's supposed to be. It's just incredible. I will buy it as soon as it comes out on DVD. I think there are certain people that this movie will really grab, and if not, you just don't get it. Brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful.
Review: Being a fan of Wes Anderson's previous two films, I looked forward to this for quite a long time. I really had to restrain myself from driving for 6 hours to see it during its limited release. I finally got to see it on it's national release date of January 4th. The theater was packed, and my companions and I ended up having to sit uncomfortably close to the screen. However, as soon as the first frame of the movie appeared I was enraptured and took no notice of the bad seats. This movie is funny, intelligent, and moving, and Wes' ability to frame a shot is unparalled these days.
I have now seen this movie four times, and it keeps getting better. There's something about all of Wes' movies that keeps me coming back to them, over and over. I'm always in the mood to watch Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and now The Royal Tenenbaums. Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson are, in my humble opinion, among the finest filmakers today.
Well, enough of my yakkin'... let's boogie!
Rating:
Summary: Great film! I loved it!
Review: This is one of the best films so far this year! Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson did a great job with this film. It was hilarious! Ben Stiller and Gene Hackman give great performances, as does the rest of the wonderful cast! Gene Hackman plays a man who put his family on the sidelines years ago, and finally decides years later, that he wants to make ammends. His wife, that he has not divorced yet, is falling in love with someone else. He tries to win her back, and lots of things go the opposite way of which he planned them! He also makes an attempt to right all the wrongs he made with his children. Heartwarming story of a man's search for forgiveness. Very funny, also! I liked this one better than the last Wes Anderson/Owen Wilson film, "Rushmore"! Highly recommended! Can't wait for the DVD release!
Rating:
Summary: of course it's dark, it's a suicide note
Review: Would I say that the new Wes Anderson film "The Royal Tenebaums" is one of the Best Pictures of the year, yes I would. But in this world there's 2 kinds of people: Wes Anderson Fans and Wes Anderson Haters. If you hate "Rushmore" and "Bottle Rocket", then no doubt you'll hate "The Royal Tenebaums". "Bottle Rocket" is still my favorite Anderson film and "Rushmore" is a masterpiece. Fans of Wes Anderson's films will absolutely love this installment.
Anderson has brought together an amazing cast of characters including, Gene Hackman as Royal Tenebaum, Anjelica Huston as his estranged wife, their kids played by Ben Stiller, Gwenyth Paltrow and Luke Wilson. The neighbor kid played by Owen Wilson and Danny Glover as mother Tenebaums new boyfriend.
The movie is a comedy but more important than that, it is a brilliantly written, acted and directed comedy, full of emotion. Many emotions shot through me as I watched the movie. Many emotions are strung put through the movie as well, all put in by Anderson on purpose as he gives us a family of disfunction and yet through it all one main objective is fulfilled. That is the belief that no matter how bad it gets, family is family and the bond of blood can make it through the most troubling times.
Bill Murray brings his own touches to the film in a bit part as Paltrows husband. But Murray is no where near as good in "RT" as he was in "Rushmore" the role was just too small.
To me "The Royal Tenebaums" is a fantastic film that has the cast of a big budget blockbuster and the heart and feel of an independent film. One of the years best.
Rating: 
Summary: The Royal Tenenbaums
Review: This movie is the third of Director Wes Anderson's, who co-wrote it with Owen Wilson. Owen is also in the movie as the neighbor who invites himself over, and grows up to be a druggie.
I loved Rushmore, which was the second movie, and I also was very fond of Bottle Rocket. TRT is not like either of these movies. It was funny in some respect, but it was just far too dark and dreary to have the same affect on the viewer that Rushmore did. I did like the way that the film was directed, the cinematography, costuming, and the way the story was told -- as if it were a book or a play. That part was original.
I also thought that some of the acting was just wonderful especially by Gene Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum. You don't know whether or not to like his character, but he is the only character that really made me laugh. As usual, The Owen Brothers, Luke and Owen are both very good. It was nice to see Luke not playing "the straight/nice guy". His character, Richie, was a little on the dark side, and it was a refreshing yet somewhat odd change for him. The rest of the actors were all very good, I just think that Luke Wilson and Gene Hackman were in the best form. Gwyneth Paltrow(playing the adopted smoking sister), Ben Stiller(playing the uptight/angry businessman brother), Angelica Huston(playing the mother and the glue that holds the family together, and Danny Glover(playing Hustons' new love interest) also appear in this film.
The film itself is a drama that has comedy peppered in at opportune moments. I don't think everyone is going to laugh at this movie. In previews it looks like comedy, but it is more dramatic, and depressing and dark at times. There have been so many movies made about families with dysfunction in them, and I think that the creators of the movie really try to bring some originality out of it. It's a good effort on their part, but I don't think it is the best. The soundtrack is also very good, as it was in "Rushmore".
While this certainly isn't the cheeriest of films, it has great ensemble acting and an fresh perspective into the look of the dysfunctional family.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best of the Year
Review: First off, if one is going to see this movie for slapstick Bill Murray, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson humor, one is going for the wrong reason. Wes Anderson is one of the smartest directors in the U.S. right now, and it's about time someone gives him props. The Royal Tenenbaums is a DRAMADY, not a COMEDY! Wes runs his movies with a high dramatic quality, and a sophisticated sense of humor. Ben Stiller's character, Chas, is NOT supposed to be humorous. He hates Royal (Gene Hackman), and is miserable with the death of his wife. Why should he be funny? Bill Murray and Danny Glover's mere presence in the movie give it class. And of course, Kumar Pallana, the humorous constant in all of Wes Anderson's films. If you want to see some spectacular acting from Gene Hackman, Luke Wilson, Gwenyth Paltrow, and Bill Murray, go see The Royal Tenenbaums. If you hate thinking, and think that Ben Stiller can only do films like Zoolander (which I loved by the way), then waste your money on Kung-Pow or Snow Dogs.
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