Rating: 
Summary: Not for everyone
Review: Fans of Wes Anderson are certain to appreciate this film. However, much like "Rushmore" and "Bottle Rocket", this movie is not for everyone. In the traditional Anderson style, the jokes don't necessarily come off as jokes and much of the film's humor lies in the subtleties. This will please fans of previous Anderson films and of movies like "The Big Lebowski", but will probably cause frustration and boredom in many viewers.The plot is centered around a fictional urban family and its illustrious history. Gene Hackman delivers a very solid performance and most of the rest of the cast is good as well. Fans of quirky and subtle humor will certainly enjoy "The Royal Tenenbaums".
Rating: 
Summary: friscolating dusklight
Review: it's pretty obvious that some people just don't get this movie, which is why i would recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it to rent it prior to buying it.
that said, this is the best comedy i have ever seen. after having memorized anderson's second feature-length film, Rushmore, i wasted no time seeing this movie several times in theatres and purchased the criterion collection as soon as i knew it existed.
the movie has a quality of subtle humor that still has me laughing after the numerous times i've seen it. there is enough attention to detail here that i still laugh at some oddity i missed before.
the problem that some people may have with the movie is that it's *too much like Rushmore. it does after all have essentially the same set up, in that each of the tenanbaum children come off as adult variations on max fischer, in particular luke wilson's character richie takes up the familiar thematic torch of impossible love. with all that in mind, this film seems to capitalize on the ideas used in Rushmore rather than simply appear to be hammering away at the same old story.
adding to the depth of this film is the spectacular soundtrack by mark mothersbaugh, who never ceases to amaze me with his prowess at adding to and intensifying the emotion of a scene.
if you rent the movie first, you can buy the soundtrack even before you see this movie, it has that expansive of an appeal.
it was to my sadness that gene hackman did not get nominated for best actor for his performance in this movie. it is difficult to imagine a better cast to pull of the very subtle dialogue in this movie, and if you don't like subtelty, you should probably stay away.
Rating: 
Summary: Strike one
Review: I worship BOTTLE ROCKET, Wes Anderson's first movie. I love RUSHMORE, his sophomore effort. Both are witty, innocent, sincere movies which snub their nose at slackerdom and everyhing blaise. The moral in both of those movies was it's not whether you succeed. It's to do everything with gusto, verve and panache. But this movie, number three? More like "number two." What on Earth were Anderson and co-writer Owen Wilson thinking when they made this one? To quote from Magnus, the hilarious Scottish bully in RUSHMORE, this one's "all show and no results." Anderson spends nearly the first half of the movie showing off with mannered, show-offy flash back sequences very much like the priceless yearbook montage in RUSHMORE. That's a great one minute scence. But in this movie, Anderson beats the joke into the ground. This movie never picks up steam. And the characters are so two dimensional. So for now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping Anderson's next outing proves more worthwhile.
Rating: 
Summary: Well...
Review: Well it wasn't a bad movie, but I can't possibly describe it as a good movie either. It IS funny, believe me,... It starts out very promising, describing each member of the Tenenbaum family since they were very young. Unfortunatly, some parts that didn't even have to really be in the movie were included which brought it down. The partial female on female nudity was something I really didn't need to see, they didn't need to show me cut-up, bloodied wrists and the plot (I don't think this will ruin the movie for you) about a sister-brother romance is just nasty. Don't worry, the sister is adopted, so they arn't blood relatives. WHAT! As if that makes a difference, they've still grown up as brother and sister, gross! But dispite the awful parts of the movie, it's funny in a wierd way. If you want really obvious humour, you should probably get something with a little less... wierdness.
Rating:
Summary: Quirky Perfection
Review: I love this movie, but I will admit, I did not love it at first. The first time I saw this movie, I did like it, but I felt it was a little flat, not up to Wes Andersen standards. However, upon a few more viewings, I have really grown to appreciate the genius of this movie. It is really one of the most clever, funny movies I have ever seen. If you are an enthusiast of subtle and smart humor, this is the movie for you. It is a glorious combination of classic writing and brilliant performances that really improves after a few times. The Royal Tenenbaums is a quirky comedy built around a really strange family. There is the patriarch, Royal, played with fiendish hilarity by Gene Hackman, who is so darn funny in this movie it makes your head spin. Estranged from his family for years, he seeks to get back into their good graces. The Tenenbaum children include Richie, also known as the ?Baumer?, a former tennis star who gave it all up because of his own mental frailty. This quiet, dark, but hilarious character is played to deadpan perfection by Luke Wilson. His sister, the playwright Margot, is stuck in loveless marriage with Bill Murray, and feels nothing but conflict. Gwyneth Paltrow is good as a burnt out genius. Ben Stiller plays overachiever Chas Tenenbaum, who is probably the biggest enemy of Royal and his attempts at reconciliation. The rest of the cast is really the heart of this movie, as they play strange but loveable characters, especially Owen Wilson?s character. Wes Andersen continues his string of quality comedies by penning a really intriguing story, that mixes insightful comedic commentary with a lighthearted family drama. After a view times watching, you can really appreciate all the hidden jokes and jabs. I really recommend this, along with Rushmore. Of course it?s dark, it?s a suicide note.
Rating:
Summary: Great Sunday afternoon movie
Review: We all know Angelica Houston is a great actor, that's a given. What's surpising is that this film removes any doubt that Ben Stiller and Gwyneth Paltrow, when given the right role, are also fine actors. In fact, the whole cast gave very believable and hillarious realism to their characters. The storyline was essentially ridiculous, and sometimes icky, yet by the end it became heart-warming. Everything from the writing to cinematography to soundtrack, and even scenery decor was perfect. Buy this DVD if you like to laugh.
Rating:
Summary: Enlighten Yourselves
Review: I found this movie to be enthralling and wonderful. The characters (and the performances thereof) were very palpable. The Directing and Cinematography was wonderful, giving moments of reflection and breadth of each character, or characters together. As for those self-important "top 100/500/whatever" viewers who claim this movie is bland, it merely goes to show how the American film industry panders to lowbrow tastes. Would you have liked a shoot-out scene? I'll bet you would have... Go back to your fried steak dinner and keep quiet. Expect more from your entertainment! Demand that it do more than merely entertain!! (oh, and do so by seein this movie)
Rating:
Summary: An original story with a stellar cast
Review: I'd like to write a few words in defense of The Royal Tenenbaums, and address some of the points made in some of the more venomous reviews here on Amazon - namely, that it's unfunny, boring and plotless. First of all, although it features performances by Ben Stiller and Bill Murray, it's not a comedy. Though it has some humorous moments, it's in actuality a wry tragedy without a "star." As for the plot, it's comprised of the life stories of its twelve principal characters tied together by the return of the family's long-absent patriarch. You don't have to look too hard to find it.
Almost all original and intelligent films are scorned by those whose television-crippled attention spans and puerile sense of humor limit them to movies such as "Triple X" or "Scary Movie." If toilet humor and explosions are what you're looking for, steer well clear of this film, because you won't find them here. However, if you're enough of a grownup to take a chance on something unique, well-acted and mature, chances are you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: This is a GREAT movie
Review: Royal Tenenbaums is great! I just had to write a review after I found so many reviews panning the movie. I love this movie so much, I can barely stand explaining why it's great. How about the actors---What a spectacular cast. I have trouble naming another movie with so many A list actors, all of them delivering great performances. Not one actor steals the show, each character contributes to the whole. Let me address problems people may have with the movie. Don't get this movie if you think you like Ben Stiller movies. Don't get this movie if you think you like Bill Murray movies. Don't get this movie if you like Owen Wilson action/humor type stuff. This movie is a quirky, off kilter, weird, and at times dark comedy. It's not really a movie that you can throw in and have a bundle of obvious laughs like Caddyshack or There's Something About Mary. Expect something more like Rushmore, BottleRocket, or maybe Spinal Tap. Most of the humor in the movie is not situational or physical--most of the humor is found in the weird dialogue. Which means you have to really pay attention to what is being said or you'll miss everything. Anyway, I just thought that I'd tell you that not everybody dislikes this movie. There are a lot of us cult followers who can rattle off whole minutes of the dialogue from The Royal Tenenbaums.
Rating:
Summary: Funniest movie of 2002!!!
Review: I readily admit this movie is not for everyone. It does have a pretty skewed sense of humor, and is light on physical comedy and heavy on irony, verbal humor and hysterical costumes. It's the story of the Tenenbaum family, headed by Royal (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Angelica Huston). In a VERY funny opening sequence, we are told the story of the early days of their children, the brilliant inventor/businessman (grows up to be Ben Stiller), the award-winning playwright (become Gwyneth Paltrow) and the tennis prodigy (grows into Luke Wilson). These kids are supremely [messed] up, and it only gets worse when their parents split and Hackman moves out. Many years later, Hackman finds himself down and out, and so he tells everyone that he is dieing, and naturally he is taken in (although reluctantly). He begins to realize that he would like to "make things right" with his family, despite their HUGE reluctance. But change does come, and it's sweet to see. And this is all VERY funny. Everyone gives fantastically funny performances, including Owen Wilson (who co-wrote) as a drugged-out family friend, Danny Glover as Angelica's current beau and Bill Murray as Gwyneth's husband. Everyone is terrific. The characters are all outrageous, but the performers make them touching and believable. And Hackman was ABSOLUTELY ROBBED by not getting an Oscar nomination. His development from beginning to end is so subtle. We go from hate to respect over the course of the movie, and it never feels forced. The movie, for me, was full of huge laughs, but also several very touching moments, particularly with Ben Stiller, of all people. If you enjoyed the comedies of the Coen brothers (RAISING ARIZONA, for example) you will probably like this. If you enjoyed RUSHMORE or ELECTION, you will certainly like it. If the absolute height of comedy for you are any of the scores of Saturday Night Live spin-off movies, or perhaps DUMB AND DUMBER, then stay away.
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