The Royal Tenenbaums Poster

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Comedy  
Rayting:   7.6/10 268.6K votes
Country: USA
Language: English | Italian
Release date: 14 March 2002

The eccentric members of a dysfunctional family reluctantly gather under the same roof for various reasons.

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User Reviews

kevdoggy 21 July 2002

Like Anderson's previous work "Rushmore", "Tenenbaums" got tons of hype, and raves as being "groundbreaking" and "brilliant".

I can't really see what the fuss is about. As a comedy, Tenenbaums simply didn't make me laugh. At all. I didn't even know what I was supposed to laugh at.

As a drama, the story was mildly interesting. The characters were pretty flat, though, and really didn't do anything to make care a bit what happened to them.

Great actors, especially the always great Huston, and Luke Wilson had some moments. Gwenyth Paltrow has depth, but again, in this film her character seemed one-dimensional.

All I can guess, is that like the music of Tenacious D, and the films of Guy Ritchie, the hipsters amongst us have decided that Wes Anderson is cool, and his material is vague enough that these people can claim that there's more going on than actually is.

There isn't. Zoolander is 10 times the comedy this thing is. I'm giving it a 4 to offset the dopes that gave it a 10. 6 is probably more fair.

jotix100 9 January 2002

Fmovies: I had all the best intentions of enjoying this film, as I have always admired the talent of Wes Anderson. That said, I can only state that as black comedies go, this isn't even beige.

Did anyone tell Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson their screenplay was just plain boring? Mr. Anderson perhaps had something else in mind when he thought about this project. The idea of a dysfunctional family sounds great, but in the treatment of the material on screen, it doesn't materialize. It's about one of the dullest films of the year, in spite of the overblown praise from all critics toward this movie, which does not come up to Mr. Anderson's previous directing efforts.

It's a shame because of all the talent amassed in this picture. The best thing in it is Gene Hackman. He is an actor that's always interesting to watch. His Royal Tenenbaum is not a fully formed character, but I would pay to see Mr. Hackman read from the Yellow Pages any time rather than to see him in a misguided attempt at comedy.

Gwyneth Paltrow character is bo-ring. And so are the brothers Wilson, and Ben Stiller. Angelica Houston is very dignified in her role, but you don't believe for a nanosecond that after what she went through with Royal, she would walk to the altar ever again.

Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, who were so incredible in Rushmore don't have anything to do here. The narrative device is sophomoric at best. So the best advice to all the fans is to wait until it comes out in DVD. Who knows, it might even play better....

SwingBatta 18 February 2002

They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether ooky...

Oops, that's the wrong family, isn't it? Oh well, no matter. The Royal Tenenbaums could very well be considered the First Family of Fright for the new millennium. Their utterly twisted and often hilarious exploits bring to mind memories of that other lovably weird clan.

But in terms of the little matter of family harmony, the difference is like oil and water. Neat? Sweet? Petite? The Tenenbaums? No way.

Director Wes Anderson's oddball showpiece opens in 1979. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman in a performance that is nothing short of amazing), a mustachioed chain smoker like Gomez Addams but nowhere near as attentive a father, is separated from his level-headed wife, Ethel (Anjelica Huston, who, ironically, played the always-cool Morticia in the two "Addams" films). They have three kids: Chas, Richie, and "adopted daughter" Margot.

Royal's blatant lack of interest in his children is the cause of the separation, and he makes no bones about it either. He purposely shoots Chas in the hand with a BB gun and openly criticizes Margot's play, among other things. And his reasoning for the separation? "Well, we made certain sacrifices by having children." Priceless.

After his departure, Ethel takes the children under her wing and they evolve into underage prodigies. Chas is a wealthy banker, Margot a successful playwright, and Richie a tennis pro sporting the nickname "The Baumer."

Disbarred and suddenly kicked out of a hotel room he's occupied for years, Royal, accompanied constantly by his Lurch-like Middle Eastern manservant Pagoda (Kumar Pallana), decides he wants to make amends for his actions by attempting to reunite with his estranged brood...even if it means faking a terminal illness. And that's when this delight of a movie really takes off.

However, things have changed during the 17 years Royal was separated from his family. The children have reached adulthood and are shadows of their former selves. Chas (Ben Stiller), constantly bedecked in red jogging suits - and black for funerals - is a widower with two young boys. Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), complete with a Wednesday Addams-style blank glare, is married to a much older man, human study author Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray), and she spends six hours a day locked in her bathroom staring listlessly at the TV. Due to a childhood accident, she now has nine and a half fingers. Richie (Luke Wilson), following a humiliating burnout during a televised match, has become a recluse, travelling the world by ship and communicating only through telegrams. Meanwhile, Ethel is engaged to accountant Henry Sherman (Danny Glover), a Teddy bear in a blue suit. Oh, and Richie just happens to be infatuated with his sister Margot.

The well-paced screenplay by Anderson and Owen Wilson (who also has a supporting role as drug-addicted, self-absorbed Western author Eli Cash) does a great job of fleshing out each of the main characters, and as a result, viewers will empathize with some of them, no matter their motives. Although it's not an outright knee-slapping laugh fest, one of "Tenenbaums'" best selling points is its aspect of physical comedy, which actually provides more laughs than the spoken variety and adds to scenes instead of bogging them down, as opposed to random, pointless acts of slapstick that do nothing to advance the plot. The outrageous i

ms_jade_li 6 September 2004

The Royal Tenenbaums fmovies. I've watched The Royal Tennenbaums 3 times so far and just ordered the DVD. How can you beat the cast, the plot, and the humanity of this film?

I dare you to find a better cast than Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Danny Glover, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the rest of the crew.

The chemistry between them works magic on the screen.

Without giving away too much of the plot, it revolves around the family of Royal Tennenbaum, a lovable rascal whose family hasn't forgiven him for transgressions of the past. When his estranged wife decides she may want to remarry, the games begin -- and oh what fun games they are. You have to laugh.

Emotionally speaking, you will feel like you're riding a roller-coaster with no dead space. If you are into quirky characters, intelligent humor, and aren't afraid to stare painful aspects of human nature eye to eye, you will love The Royal Tennenbaums.

bumper314 10 December 2006

I just finished watching this movie with commentary, and after seeing how much care goes into each scene, I have fallen for the movie all over again.

Even after watching this film 10+ times now, I love it all the more. I have never held this movie as my favorite, but now it has moved into the #1 position after a careful study, and realizing that even 50 more viewings would not unlock all the little treasures hidden within.

You are doing yourself a huge disservice if you don't see this movie, or if you dismiss it after a single viewing. Watch it, again if necessary, and see what you are missing.

ccthemovieman-1 24 May 2006

This was a quirky film that surprised me, in that I liked it....at least twice. By the third viewing, I had enough but I got my money's worth out of it. That's what I would recommend with this movie: rent it before considering buying it. It's very different, and you might love but also might hate it.

What it is, simply, is a portrait of a very dysfunctional family and the father trying to re-connect with his kids after a long absence. Gene Hackman is the father, Angelica Huston the mother and the wacko kids - and other assorted strange characters - are played by Ben Stiller, Owen and Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Bill Murray and Danny Glover.

This is mostly dry, dark humor with some funny lines delivered in deadpan style. Nobody is particularly likable but - with the possible exception of Paltrow's character - are not really unlikeable either. They are just strange.

I enjoyed viewing the house with all its colors. For those who appreciate low-key absurd humor nd some pleasing visuals, you should like this film and I certainly recommend giving it a look.

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