Rating: 
Summary: A cast fit for a king.
Review: Three words come to mind when trying to describe Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums" in a positive manner: quirky, witty, and delightful. I also have three words for the film: long, laborious, and quirky (I say quirky twice because it works for and against the movie). As an exercise in subtle humor and acting zeal, Anderson's much-anticipated follow-up to his acclaimed "Rushmore" hits all the rights notes, but his style and storytelling are hit-and-miss, and the slight moments of comedic brilliance are few and far between. If for nothing else, you must see "Tenenbaums" for its terrific cast, led by Gene Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum, the matriarch of a family destined for dysfunction from the minute he said "I do." The movie begins with his divorce from his wife, Etheline (Anjelica Houston), which has some serious effects on his already-otherworldly children, Chas, Richie, and Margot, the adopted daughter whom Royal sees fit to disclude from major family events. As the children grow in the education-oriented household of their mother, they go on to become great successes in their time, eventually going their separate ways into adulthood. Picking up many years later, everyone is much older, and things have changed. Margot has lost touch with her play-writing ability and confines herself in the bathroom endless hours of the day. Chas sees it fit to hold emergency fire drills for his two children as a result of the death of his wife. Richie has been sailing around the world, all the while thinking of Margot and falling in love with her. Ethel is on the brink of marriage to her business partner, Henry Sherman (Danny Glover), and Royal is flat broke and in need of a place to stay. I must say, I think this is probably the best ensemble cast for a movie since Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia." Hackman is anything but lacking in his performance as a man who knows exactly how his family and friends feel about him, and doesn't give a second thought to it. He has a delightful way with words that makes Royal a real treat to watch, adding small touches of comedy to scenes that would otherwise be melodramatic. His scenes with the equally brilliant Houston are funny and engaging; Houston, after a somewhat lengthy absence from the screen, manages to employ a real sense of motherhood in her character, the kind of warmth and quirkiness that one easily warms to. As adults, the Tenenbaum children are played by Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Stiller, as Chas, exacts a frantic sense of paranoia that will later become the tie that binds him with his father, and carries it off with humor and zeal intact. Wilson, as Richie, is kind and caring, seeing people for their good rather than their bad; as Royal's sole companion throughout much of the film, he will try to use this to keep his family together. As Margot, Paltrow almost steals the show all for herself, playing her character's depression and restrained angst in a manner that brings to mind Thora Birch's character in "Ghost World." The story hook comes when Royal announces his impending death, which gives him cause to seek out his family and reconcile with them within the six weeks he has been given to live. Of course, we soon know he is not really dying, but the change in him as a result of being surrounded by his family is quite evident, and his quest takes on a greater meaning. All the while, each of the characters is subjected to some part of their past, or their present fears and inhibitions, and must learn to realize them, face them, and overcome them. This allows the cast to really show audiences what they are made of, accepting the challenge of portraying each Tenenbaum's personal struggle realistically; of course, they succeed in doing so. This is all done in an absolutely off-the-wall approach by director Wes Anderson, who employs such an offbeat feel that it almost becomes unbearable. I was tickled by the fact that no one hardly ever changes clothes throughout the movie... Paltrow with her single red hair clip, Luke Wilson with his headband and sunglasses. The opening credits and title sequences, the music (including the classic Peanuts' theme "Christmastime Is Here"), all strive to elevate the movie to a magical level, but the heavy reliance on quirkiness, as well as a stark absence of continuous comedy, all seems to overpower the potential that it has. It uses the wit of its cast to its advantage, but there is nothing within the story that will provoke a guffaw instead of a mere grin or a chuckle here and there. Looking back on "The Royal Tenenbaums," I realize that my reservations about the movie are my own fault: I expected too much in terms of outright humor. The laughs here is subtle, which is a tough pill to swallow at times, especially when the material shows great comedic potential. Overall, I enjoyed the movie for much of its dry humor, its strong characterization, and its wonderful use of such a brilliant cast.
Rating: 
Summary: "TENENBAUMS" a precious, comedic gem
Review: Wes Anderson's career could be viewed as if he were in high school. Freshmen year ("Bottle Rocket") was good, sophomore year ("Rushmore") even better, and now "Royal Tenenbaums", Anderson's "junior" release, if you will, is absolutely the best yet! What "O Brother" was last year, "Tenenbaums" seems to emulate this year. Good ol' fashioned comedic humor, quirky characters and dialogue, but above all, a genuine message, above all, about family. Royal believes he can reunite his family through a little trickery, but ultimately, it will take some real tests of love that will finally reunite the Tenenbaums in the end. Of course, Anderson and Wilson's trademark humor once again has a great showing, and Hackman gives such a memorable performance. I really can't say enough about "Tenenbaums". It truly is the movie that satisfies, no matter how long you've been watching "Rushmore" to compensate for the brief lapse of time between two films. It's a precious movie, that like "Rushmore" will stand the test of time. RIGHT ON!
Rating:
Summary: The Royal Tenenbaums
Review: A brilliant black comedy. Ben Stiller at his best. Gene Hackman and Gwenyth Paltrow are hysterical. You will enjoy this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Oh TanenBOMB!
Review: I spent nearly an entire week's earnings to see this disappointment! Being a huge fan of RUSHMORE, I could barely wait for Wes Anderson's next masterpiece. Our local theater was closed, so I decided to drive to Delaware with two of my compatriots. As you can imagine, they were quite disappointed as well. Gene Hackman's performance as primate Gary D'ellabate was one of the few redeeming elements of this atrocity. His lines were relevant and his humorous quips were timely and pungent. Ben Stiller, on the other hand, should receive the Darwin award for his portrayal of Fred Norris, the martian. Gwyneth Paltrow was also inappropriate for the part of Ophelia Quivers. I didn't really understand the plot... I hope Anderson's next movie befits his former legacy, if you know what I mean. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
Rating:
Summary: AWFUL!
Review: What a major bomb of a movie. How can a cast with so much talent produce such an awful movie! How can a movie with Bill Murray and Ben Stiller not make me laugh? Owen Wilson was especially disapointing as "Chaz", the black sheep of an otherwise dysfunctional family. Gene Hackman's recent streak of disapointing movies continued with his awful performance as "Royal", the father of this family of losers. Hackman's recent efforts include Behind Enemy Lines,Heist, and that box office smash Heartbreakers. What actualy was Danny Glover's role in this movie? He was completely out of place in this film. Glover should convince paramount pictures to make Lethal Weapon 4.This way maybe he can save his faltering career. In conclusion, the only positive thing that I can say about this movie is that it ran a little under two hours. Please don't waste your time and money on this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A New Classic!
Review: I honestly would love to dive into Wes Anderson's brain and see what is going on in there!! I don't know how he makes these masterpieces!! A few years ago, I stumbled upon a movie called "Bottle Rocket". When I watched I couldn't believe I finally found someone who had my humor. Then "Rushmore" was made and I knew that anything this "Wes" made was pure gold! I love the minute details in the movies. And Kumar!!! I love Kumar. Where did he ever come from? He hits comical timing so perfectly!
When I saw "The Royal Tenenbaums" yesterday, I was laughing the entire time...I must admit I got a little teary eyed towards the end. Can I just scream it out loud to all the higher ups...Gene Hackman deserves an oscar, Wes Anderson deserves one, and the movie as a whole deserves one. If you have not seen this yet...Run to the theatre while you still have the chance...I didn't see "Bottle Rocket" in the theatre, and I feel I truly missed out. See this! It's pure genius!
Rating:
Summary: Anderson triumphs again!
Review: The Royal Tenenbaums is yet another triumph for director Wes Anderson whose previous films, Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, were cult favorites. Many of Anderson's favorite actors return as does his writing collaborator Wilson for a film that displays an increased maturity while still retaining the unique qualities that made Anderson's other films great. For those who enjoyed Anderson's previous two films The Royal Tenenbaums will not disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: Royalty
Review: WARNING: THIS REVIEW WILL PROBABLY USE THE WORDS "QUIRKY" AND "HYSTERICAL", SEEN IN MANY OTHER REVIEWS OF THE FILM "THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS." You see Royal Tenenbaum is dying... Okay, Royal Tenenbaum is not dying... Well, Royal Tenenbaum may be dying. It doesn't matter. You see, Royal has fallen on hard times and would like to get back in his broken family's life. But, with his longtime estranged wife Etheline (Angelica Huston) finally looking at another relationship, his timing is the pits. And, with his son Chas(Ben Stiller) recently widowed and left to raise his two doomed children, Royal's timing goes down in a blaze of glory. And, with his one-time tennis professional son Richie(Luke Wilson) dealing with his love for his step sister, Royal's timing leaves a lot to be desired. And, with his wooden-fingered cigarette-sneaking adopted daughter Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) leaving her uptight husband (Bill Murray), Royal's timing is horrible- and it all offers a hysterical look at the All-American dysfunctional family. Following BOTTLE ROCKET, Writer/Director Wes Anderson created his own unique style of filmmaking in his second effort, the confident RUSHMORE. That style is redelivered in spades here which is sure to please his fans and perturb his detractors. Either way, he is becoming one of those 'darlings' of Hollywood for his persistent vision. This is clearly seen in the superstar casting. Aside from the great screenplay (written with co-star and collaborator Owen Wilson - Luke's brother), the film belongs to Gene Hackman's Royal. That is not to say that the cast isn't uniformly strong, including RUSHMORE's Bill Murray as Margot's estranged husband and Danny Glover as Etheline's suitor, both a pleasure to watch. But, Hackman delivers a sense of humanity and humor that reveals an actor who has long honed his craft and has taken every film he's involved with up a notch or two. Anderson himself must have fun as he fuses his own quirky view of popular culture with the weirdest elements of humanity. With a strange musical score helping to set the mood, he has proven to be very deliberate in his choices. Who else would use A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS SPECIAL music for underscoring? Somehow, with all of these unique decisions, he portrays the darkest side of human psyche in a more colorful light...
The film does have a dry-spell, a good twenty minutes where the story gets a bit muddy, but the resolution tidies that up pretty quickly. It is too early to call him a genius or an auteur... and frankly, those words would slip right off of him, but QUIRKY fits. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: All My Children
Review: Dysfunctional family films should all have the kind of strong actors and funny scripts you see in The Royal Tennenbaums. Gene Hackman is superb as a seedy Royal Tenenbaum, the morally bankrupt head of the family he abandoned. He has the smile of a slickster and the clothes to match, hanging his hat in a luxury hotel until his money runs out, which is very early in the film. That's what motivates Royal to go back to his family. This is a family comedy, so it's no surprise that the charming idiot, Royal Tennenbaum, would be father to child prodigies who gain early and stunning success before terminal dysfunction sets in.
Royal's son Richie becomes rich selling spotted rats which he has developed as a child genius. Richie is insecure and paranoid, has two boys, and they all wear red track uniforms throughout the film. That way they can more easily spot each other in crowds in the event some huge catastrophe befalls them. Richie's in this paranoid state not only because he was abandoned by his father, but also because his wife was killed in a plane crash. His goal in life is to keep his two children safe from the world's dangers. Richie does a lot of weird stuff in the movie, but trust me, he's paranoid.
Another of Royal's sons becomes a wealthy superstar in the world of tennis, though he too succumbs to personal failure. That's what comes from falling in love with your sister, the third Tenenbaum prodigy, played by Gwynneth Paltrow.
Paltrow's character was a successful playwright, now trapped in a loveless marriage to a creepy psychiatrist-neurophysiologist or whatever he is. What's got her depressed? Could it be she's in love with her brother the tennis star?
The basic plot is that everybody is so depressed and screwed up and failed that they must return to the family home of Royal's wife, played by Angelica Huston, one of the few relatively normal people in the film. Danny Glover figures in there, too, as her former accountant now become her suitor. This complicated matters, but not so you'd notice, since everything in the Tennenbaum world is so fouled up anyway. Even the best friend of the three Tenenbaum prodigies is messed up, witnessed immediately in the way he dresses and talks. His style of dress actually looks like two styles of dress. He's a cowboy from the waist upward and a continental man from the waist down. An odd, smooth, handsome character who seems out of both context and time. He likes mescaline a whole lot. It's okay, though-- the guy's a western writer, a very successful one, too.
You've probably already got the picture that the plot doesn't count for a great deal. It's the thousand odd little things about the Tennenbaums which make you laugh. They're very serious, always at the wrong time. They're never appropriate. They don't know when to laugh although they tend toward giddiness at funerals. Royal doesn't give a damn about anything but himself although he has his epiphanies very near the end of the movie and tries to be a 'real person'. The film is character-driven but it has endless sight jokes which challenge your brain to interpret and see. The dialogue is witty, sophisticated, and has precious moments. What's great about this film is it's nearly complete lack of piety, and its contradictory ability to generate, alter, twist and tangle human feelings. It does all this with a naturalness that borders on genius.
Rating:
Summary: Best of the year
Review: The Royal Tenenbaums is my favorite movie of 2001. It is unlike any movie I have ever seen before. The characters are truly unique and each performance is excellent. Gene Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum gives a dynamic performance. He does a great job of showing all sides of this character. You want to feel angry at him, for the treatment of his family, and you grow to love him at the same time. Royal's three children are given equal time to develop as individual characters. They each have a distinct personality that reveal different sides as the movie goes on. There are so many interesting little details in this film that it's hard to take everything in on one viewing. There are Chas's Dalmatian mice, Margot's missing finger, and Richie's headband. These aspects are all part of these characters personalities, but they are not made a big deal of they are just there. Gywneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson and Ben Stiller all turn in unexpected performances as Royal's troubled children. They are all brooding in there own unique way. Stiller is especially restrained as his character is recently widowed and he has become obsessed with his family's safety. Wilson shows many sides to Royal's youngest son Richie from a sweet caring son to a depressed lovelorn man. Paltrow plays the apathetic Margot perfectly, showing her to be both cold and caring at the same time, depending on who she's dealing with. She tends to only be caring around her brother Richie.
Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson have put a lot of effort into the script that make this film original and poignant. Anderson payed attention to every detail of this production from costume, to music to set design. He has created a world that doesn't quite exist but is very familiar. All the effort has paid off, this film is definitely worth seeing.
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