Originally published in the UCD College Tribune, 2001

The three Tenenbaum children were prodigies before they hit their teens. Chas was a business mastermind, Margot, a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright and Richie, a Tennis Champion. However, by the time they reach adulthood things have gone horribly wrong; Chas’s wife’s death has left him overly protective of his two sons (spot the matching tracksuits), Margot has not put pen to paper in over seven years, and Richie, after losing his last big Tennis Championship, is on a boat in the middle of nowhere. When their father, Royal, announces that he is dying and wants to spend time with his children, the family is re-united in the family home. The various repressed feelings that are aired become the basis for the film.

Narrated throughout and divided into chapters, The Royal Tenenbaums is the kind of wacky and quirky comedy that Wes Anderson is becoming noted for. The characters are all memorable and entertaining in their own way (yes, even Dudley) even though some of them don’t seem to have a lot to do. The script (penned by co-star Owen Wilson and director Wes Anderson) is simple and straight to the point. Flashbacks are acceptable, as are slowed down photography and sub-titles, they add to the plot without patronising the audience. The humour relies mainly on visual gags (Chas’s sons Ari and Uzi dressed identically to him, Richie’s ever present tennis headband) but is peppered with eccentric one-liners. Underneath the humour, however, is a layer of poignancy that reminds us that tragi-comedy on a human level can be almost heartbreaking.

Gene Hackman is at his best (after all he got a Golden Globe for his performance), and its refreshing to see Gwenyth Paltrow and Ben Stiller break away from type casting for once. This film boasts the same element of the bizarre that made Being John Malkovich such a success. That said, you’ll either love it or loathe it, there is no room for grey area in this film.