The Royal Tenenbaums: A Charming but Dysfunctional Family Comes Together

comedy

1:50

2001

Review by Brandon Talks Movies on Jun 29, 2017

All memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums had been erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster.

We’ll probably never get a movie version of J.D. Salinger’s classic book Franny and Zooey, but The Royal Tenenbaums feels like it could be a sequel. Directed by indie darling Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fantastic Mr. Fox) and starring Gene Hackman and a host of other famous people, it tells the story of a troubled family that’s trying to discover what the word “family” means, even years after they’ve parted ways. It’s quirky, touching, and funny, and the Wes Anderson retro style is as charming here as anywhere else. Also, words can’t express how much I love the ending of this film. This is one of my all-time favorite movies, and may be the most charming of Anderson’s films.

The plot tells the story of the Tenenbaum family. The father Royal and mother Etheline were successful and prestigious. The three children, Richie, Margot, and Chas, were each prodigies in their own way. The family was talented, brilliant, and successful, but they were never a great family, due largely to how much of a bastard Royal was (and still is). Now, years since his last conversation with any family member, Royal goes back to them with the news that he has a terminal illness. While there’s a fiasco or two, each character slowly learns that family is more important than success.

I’m very sorry for your loss. Your mother was a terribly attractive woman.

The Royal Tenenbaums has a retro book-inspired style (even though it wasn’t based on a book, aside from some aforementioned thematic ties to Franny and Zooey) that give this movie an endearing charm. The writing, cinematography, music, and story pull you right in, even when the characters are good-humored but terrible terrible people. The story and its characters are larger than life, but the themes are so familiar that the movie has a camaraderie with most viewers. Royal is such a bastard that you just have to laugh.

At the core of the movie is a sad old man who has finally realized that a good family would have meant more to him than everything he’s chased after all of these years. We soon discover that each of the children, and even the kid next door, longs for a family. They’ve been taught that success is everything, and go to great lengths to hide their vices, but as their secrets start coming out and they become vulnerable, they find themselves pulling together and caring for each other in unexpected ways. The movie does a great job of not overstating this and leaving it at subtle notions rather than hamfisted melodrama. The movie is touching in its own way without losing any of the rebel charm that Royal so blatantly displays.

Should I Watch The Royal Tenenbaums?

I’m not doing this movie justice. It’s a fantastic, well-written movie with a brilliant style that distinguished Wes Anderson as one of the most unique filmmakers of his time. The quirky and somewhat dark humor will not appeal to everyone, and it may just be too stylized for some, but many will appreciate the artistic finesse and nuanced message behind the film.

Movies Like The Royal Tenenbaums

The Life Aquatic (2004) - Also directed by Anderson, this film shows an accomplished old man discovering that everything he’s chased isn’t what he wanted. The setting and characters are quite different, but the core conflict is similar, and Anderson’s unique style make this a great match for fans of The Royal Tenenbaums who want more of the same.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - A family road trip turns into massive failures for most family members, and the family must learn to accept each other and embrace failure and their own imperfections. The story is simple, but effective, and mirrors the Tenenbaum family’s journey into accepting their own shortcomings and pulling together in spite of them.
Sideways (2004) - When a middle-aged man decides to marry, he and his cynical friend go out for one last hurrah, discovering that they may not be as ready to move on as they thought they were. The characters and tone are openly cynical, and they get worse before they get better, but show something like the journey Royal went through to discover he loves his family.

Academy Awards

Nominee: Best Original Screenplay (Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson)

Runtime: 1:50
Director: Wes Anderson
Year: 2001
Genres: comedy
Rating: R

About Brandon

My name is Brandon, and I love movies. Not bad ones, though—just the good ones. I’m curating and reviewing a list of classic, essential-viewing, or just plain good movies from all decades, and I've been reviewing them since 2016. I also co-host Peculiar Picture Show, a podcast about movies and mental health and write about Dungeons & Dragons options, builds, and optimization.