'Darjeeling' a must-see for Wes Anderson fans

By Molly Gore

Wes Anderson's latest film, "The Darjeeling Limited," concentrates all of the distinguishing elements that have come to define each of his films since Rushmore.

Cult followers will be delighted by the Andersonisms of "Darjeeling": unresolved family issues, deadpan line delivery, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman, meticulously crafted scenes, despondent undertone and colorful and eclectic art design.

More unlike Anderson, however, is the conclusive, satisfying and nearly redemptive ending.

The film follows three estranged brothers -- estranged since their father's funeral a year before the film is set -- as they take a train through India in what the eldest brother, Francis (Wilson), hopes will be a spiritually enlightening journey. Francis' head is wrapped in gauze and bandages throughout the film, and he has two black eyes from a motorcycle accident that may not have been an accident at all.

His nearness to death inspires him to bring his brothers together in hopes they might become as close as they used to be, and also find their mother (Anjelica Huston), who has deserted them to become a nun in the Himalayas.

The middle child, Peter (Adrien Brody), seems to carry more baggage from the father's death than the other two. He wears their father's prescription sunglasses atop his brow since he cannot see well through them, and he carries their father's old car keys in his pocket and still uses his razor. On top of that, Peter struggles with the idea that he is about to have a baby with a woman he had always assumed he would divorce someday.

Then there's Jack (Schwartzman), who wears expensive suits but no shoes, secretly checks his ex-girlfriend's voicemail every time they stop near a phone and plays appropriate songs off his iPod speaker system to intensify certain moments of life.

Each character has his own personal struggle and a token attachment to something material. Peter cannot let go of his father's things and purchases a cobra he is unwilling to part with. Francis has an expensive leather belt and shoes, and Jack would rather acquire the sultry train stewardess and some of the Darjeeling Limited's Savoury Snacks.

The brothers share an enormous set of their father's luggage that serves to represent both their literal and emotional baggage.

The film takes a serious turn toward the end with a scene that seems injected but not forced. The scene here involves the death of a small boy and provides a glimpse of what Peter might be like as a father.

Brody deserves all the credit for adding depth to the sequence. It is one of the few moments in the film that manages to add any dimension to the brothers' characters.

Another moment of honesty occurs at the tail end of the film as Francis unwraps the bandages from his head in an airport bathroom. He gazes directly into the camera lens with the pain of a shaken man and does not break his stare until the camera cuts away. It feels authentic, and Wilson's discomfort is palpable.

Aside from the idiosyncrasies and neuroses that Anderson attaches to his characters, they feel empty and undeveloped at times.

But they are enjoyable to watch as the peculiarities of their characters and unexplained pasts emerge, and these peculiarities are enough to distract from what otherwise might seem hollow and artificial.

Even when the plot slows, the quirkiness of the characters and beautiful cinematography serve as an effective and enjoyable distraction.

Disappointingly, and unlike Anderson's other films, the story seems to come full circle, and the characters come to grips with much of what irks them individually throughout the film. Major family issues are addressed and answered, as the ending leaves fewer loose ends than usual.

The conclusion feels almost like a victory. The film ends with a scene that is highly symbolic and redeeming. It leaves a good taste in the mouth, but much less to think about.

Though not his most impressive or original effort, "The Darjeeling Limited" is a must-see for Wes Anderson fans, if only for the exquisitely crafted scene design and vivid, gorgeously ornate art design.

Grade: B+

Contact Molly Gore at (408) 551-1918 or mgore@scu.edu.