Three actors who look unlike are cast as three brothers who also don’t look alike in a road trip that leads to nowhere. Imagine a straight “Priscilla.” Or a Marx Bros version of “Fried Green Tomatoes.” And that’s what you’ve got on “Darjeeling Limited.”<\/p>\n
Because it’s a Wes Anderson film there are attempts at cleverness and some oh-so-smart film making techniques. But the straight-on camera shots and the camera tracking shots of staged scenes and framing the brothers as cardboard cut-outs and the music repitition quickly tires. Oh. There’s a funny, little trailer bit at the beginning that’s so dead pan that it feels more like a used bed pan.<\/p>\n
Anyway, one brother connives the other brothers in a way that is totally unconvincing to go on this road trip, sorry, rail trip, across India. Why? It isn’t made clear until halfway-ish through and we don’t care by the time we’re told. We just wished they hurry up and get there so we can get off. <\/p>\n
It’s an American film. So, there’s the obligatory feel-good, personal transformation bit floating around in the middle somewhere. Needless to say, the brothers are transformed from squabbling selfish brothers who you hope wouldn’t ever sit next to you on a train\/bus\/plane to not quite so selfish, squabbling brothers who you would cash in your tickets if you thought they were going to be on the same train\/bus\/plane. Two brothers rescue two drowning Indian children but one brother does not and, as he says, “Mine died!” Isn’t cultural imperialism great?<\/p>\n
But! Guess what! Earlier we’re told his wife is pregnant with their first child. And! Guess what! The sonogram says it will be a boy! It must be reincarnation! We’re in India, right? And it’s a clever American film, right?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Three actors who look unlike are cast as three brothers who also don’t look alike in a road trip that leads to nowhere. Imagine a straight “Priscilla.” Or a Marx Bros version of “Fried Green Tomatoes.” And that’s what you’ve … Continue reading