The Darjeeling Limited

Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston
Running Time: 1h 31min

Anderson returns with yet another meticulously designed film, this time set in India, starring a few of his favourites, joined by Adrien Brody, who fits in well with Anderson's quirky cast and script.

Strange is not quite the word for Anderson's films, as they are immensely inviting and delightful to watch. There's just something un-Hollywood about them, without losing any of the production values. Rather, one could argue that there is a timeless quality to his films that surpass most Hollywood fare, as his directorial canvas is not merely splashed with Hollywood magic and glamour, but more hand crafted, ornate and detailed to a degree unheard of in the facade of Tinseltown.

Which is what Anderson does, and with The Darjeeling Limited, continues to do wonderfully. He pulls back the facade that families have and gets to the truth beneath it all. This film, focused on three brothers taking a spiritual journey through India to meet with their mother, who was absent at their father's funeral, is all about peeling back the layers and finding the peace beneath.

At first, the three brothers distrust each other, revealing little by little, their own personal problems, mostly centered on their own relationships, independently, as well as with each other. Wilson's character drives the film, hoping for this magical spiritual journey to heal them of their wounds. This manifests itself physically for Wilson, as his head is bandaged from a motorcycle accident. Brody perfects Anderson's familiar stone faced stare that populates many of his films, suggesting an inner confusion and fear of an inescapable impending future. Schwartzman's character gets a little more back story, through a short film preceding the movie, which allows us to connect with him a little quicker as the three travel by train through India.

Filled with metaphoric images and dialogue with double meaning, the film chugs along like an Orwellian short story, slowly developing the characters and their connection, while painting beautiful pictures of India with scenic shots and amusing happenings that undermine Wilson's quest for spiritual renewal. The film manages to deromanticise India, while evoking a wonder for the country and its gifts. It is almost uncertain what it is that these three hope to find, though it is a given that they will definitely be changed by their adventure.

Though not nearly as funny as Anderson's previous films, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, and Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited includes much of the same style, with a mood setting soundtrack and a spectacular lens for the spiritual and emotional beauty of the locale. It tackles themes similar to his prior work, family bonding and forgiveness, yet it seems to have a greater philosophical air, buoyed by the mysticism we imbue the Eastern continents with. As with all of Anderson's work, you will be immersed in the journey, and equally captivated and perplexed by the outcome. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Grade: A-