Runtime: 104 minutes
Genre: Comedy-Drama
Film Language: English
Director: Wes Anderson
Screenplay Writer: Wes Anderson, Roman Copolla, Jason Schwartzman
Cinematography: Robert Yeoman
Editor: Andrew Weisblum
For most of us family is not just an important thing, rather it’s everything, but for some it is a burden they cannot escape from.
Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling limited (2007) satirically showcases one such dysfunctional family at its worst. After the death of their father, three alienated brothers reunite on a luxury train for a quasi-spiritual journey across India in a half-hearted attempt to rediscover their bond with each other. The journey is sprinkled with misadventures and ugly confrontations that force them to introspect. The engaging narrative along with alluring visuals and a congruent soundtrack make it an amusing watch.
The movie opens with a captivating sequence of a taxi rushing towards the railway station with enigmatic classical music playing in the background. The eldest brother Francis (Owen Wilson) who has his face covered with bandages due to a recent motorbike accident is the self-appointed head of the group and has meticulously planned the trip with the help of his bullied PA, Brendon. The middle brother Peter (Adrien Brody) is about to become a father but is rather unexcited about it and the youngest brother Jack (Jason Schwartzman) a short story writer has had a recent and acrimonious break up and is still recovering. Accompanying the trio is a huge amount of luggage perhaps analogous to the emotional baggage each one of them is carrying. Each has his own peculiar possessions, for Francis his belt, for Peter it’s his father’s sunglasses and for Jack his taste for the savoury snacks as well as the waitress that serves them.
At one point the train is set off course which sets the trio into a spiral of tragedies that eventually culminate with them being thrown off the train for smuggling a poisonous snake on board, though, not as poisonous as the relationship between the brothers. Their banishment is followed by the tragic death of a young child which gives the trio an opportunity to reconnect and an attempted visit to their estranged mother who has renounced all worldly pleasures and has now become a nun somewhere in the Himalayas. Delivering a story loaded with misery in a rather comical way is something not many apart from Anderson can do with such conviction.
The script has a dry sarcastic humor, Francis’ domineering nature creates friction with the two brothers and lends a comical texture to the story. Shades of yellow were dominant throughout, symbolizing trust which is an explicit theme of the story. The delightful soundtrack includes rock and roll as well as classical Indian tunes and is in perfect sync with the pace of the story, upbeat/funky music accompanies the most gloomy scenes which is the peculiar Wes Anderson way of depicting suffering. Some characters especially Peter are somewhat underwritten which is why some viewers might find it difficult to connect with them but the clever editing maintains the rhythm of the story. Intense emotion is never confronted head on, but In an evasive way and remains the major theme throughout the course of the film, another implicit theme in the movie is the importance of upbringing and how uninterested parents can change you in ways irreparable (Parents, take notes).
With unmatched aesthetics, very well shot sequences and warm humor this movie is definitely worth your time. The viewer's curiosity is always maintained and some viewers might even feel compelled to pick up their phones and call up some old friends or family members with whom their bond has weakened over time.
To find out how the relationship evolves during the course of their spiritual journey and if they really regain a strong bond do watch The Darjeeling Limited directed by Wes Anderson.