The Darjeeling Limited USA (wgvu) - The Darjeeling Limited is the most sincere movie that Wes Anderson has made yet. His five features include two masterpieces, Rushmore, which made him a cult moviemaker, and The Royal Tennenbaums, which is my favorite. I've never seen his first film, Bottle Rocket, and although I loved The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, I also found it a bit disappointing the first time around. The thing with Anderson's movies though, is that they always get better with repeated viewings. His films are overflowing with detailed imagery, telling dialogue, and smart soundtracks. The Darjeeling Limited is set in India, which is an entire country of beauty. Even the dirt and the muddy rivers and the unwashed multitude are beautiful. The story is about the Whitmann brothers Francis, Peter, and Jack, who take a cross country train ride on The Darjeeling Limited, a take-off on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Owen Wilson is Francis, Adrian Brody is Peter, and Jack is played by Jason Schwartzman. (clip) Francis's face is wrapped in gauze and bandages from a motorcycle accident. Peter is dazed with knowledge that his wife is pregnant, a wife he was planning on divorcing. Jack has just ended a volatile relationship with a girl he's obsessing over. The last time they've spoken to each other was at their father's funeral. The whole bonding plan gets sabotaged right from the beginning as each of the brothers snipe at each other. Substance abuse, by way of Indian pain killers and codeine cough syrup, casts doubt on the whole spiritual thing. And each of the brothers is wrapped up in their own neurosis. (clip) The Darjeeling Limited provides a colorful analogy to the brother's intentions. It bumps along the rails, through luminescent night, and the blaze of day. The numerous Indian characters include Rita, the stewardess referred to as the sweet lime girl, played by Amara Karan. Waris Ahluwalia is the stern chief Steward of the train. Ahluwalia isn't strictly actor by trade, but a popular Hollywood jeweler, but he has appeared in a handful of films, including Anderson's The Life Aquatic. The rolling train cars are right out of the 18th Century, with sleepers, dining cars, and cramped, crowded cars for the masses. Eventually it comes to a halt, and a new journey begins. (clip) Owen Wilson is always at his best in movies made by Wes Anderson, probably because he usually collaborates on the script. This is his best role yet. Jason Schwartzman made his debut in Rushmore. Like Wilson, he's also at his best here. Adrian Brody is an actor I've never warmed to, but the mere sight of his gangly frame, wearing a loose grey suit, and his father's over-sized sunglasses makes him fit right in. Pay attention to each frame of The Darjeeling Limited. There are clues to what's going on from the first frame to the last. These include objects, songs, bits of dialogue, and how each of the brothers engage interact. The characters who overshadow all of this are the father, absent in death, and the mother who lives in exile. The brothers Whittmann are looking for both of them. © Copyright 2012, wgvu