2021 Cannes Marathon: The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

 

(Winner of the Palm Dog Award to Einstein at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival)

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is the story of a group of adult siblings who cope with their failings as they continue to live in the shadow of their famous father. The film is an exploration into family dysfunction as siblings all reunite to celebrate their father despite their own issues as they deal with the many faults of their father. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Marvel, Grace Van Patten, Adam Driver, Candice Bergen, Judd Hirsch, Rebecca Miller, and Emma Thompson. The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a witty yet riveting film from Noah Baumbach.

The film follows the lives of a family whose patriarch is a famous sculptor in the twilight years of his life while his fame and modest success has managed to overshadow his three children who all cope with their own disappointment towards themselves and not living up to his fame. It’s a film that takes a simple premise of family dysfunction as three adult siblings cope with their own lives as they all have to tend to their father who is starting to go through health issues but also unruly behavior in the way he reacts toward certain things. Noah Baumbach’s screenplay has a structure that does focus on these three siblings but also one of the sibling’s kids who has just entered college as it showcase not just trying to cope with the family patriarch but also themselves. The eldest in Danny (Adam Sandler) had just split up from his wife as he’s in New York City taking his 18-year old daughter Eliza to Bard where she is planning to study film while Danny is moving in with his father in Harold Meyerowitz (Dustin Hoffman) and hippy stepmother Maureen (Emma Thompson).

Also at the home is his younger sister Jean (Elizabeth Marvel) who is spending time to help out her father following an injury he suffered involving the dog while Maureen often goes away for seminars only to come back drunk. Danny and Jean are upset to learn that Maureen is planning to sell the family home as well as some of Harold’s art work with their younger half-brother Matthew (Ben Stiller) handling all of the finances. The unemployed Danny and Jean agree to create a retrospective at the Bard for Harold following an event for Harold’s old friend L.J. Shapiro (Judd Hirsch) where Danny reunited with his childhood friend in Shapiro’s daughter Loretta (Rebecca Miller). Yet, that event would prompt some issues from Harold who is jealous towards Shaprio’s success claiming that Shapiro is mediocre compared to himself. The section on Matthew who visits New York City from Los Angeles where he is starting his own accounting business deals with the fact that his own success doesn’t really impress his father as it also causes resentment from his half-siblings whom he is convinced are damaged because of their father. When Harold becomes ill due to the injuries he had sustained some time earlier, the siblings and Eliza deal with the possibility of his impending death as the script also showcase dialogue where Baumbach often have characters talking over one another as it play into the dysfunction of themselves and relationship with one another.

Baumbach’s direction does have some style yet much of his compositions are straightforward as much of the film is shot on location in New York City as well as areas upstate with Sarah Lawrence College playing the role of Bard. Baumbach does use wide shots that do play into some of the locations but much of his compositions emphasize on close-ups and medium shots to play into the interaction between the characters in the film. Notably as there are these elements that feel loose such as the first scene of Danny trying to find an open parking spot as he and Eliza are about to meet Harold as Baumbach also play into some of the awkwardness that is happening that includes some of the strange cuisine that Maureen has created. Baumbach’s approach to humor doesn’t play into these sexually-provocative student films that Eliza has created for her film class but also in the way the siblings react to a situation involving their father such as a scene of Matthew trying to go after a man who had mistakenly taken Harold’s coat.

Baumbach also plays into these moments of tension as it relates to Matthew’s absentee presence as it showcases a man who is still dealing with the fact that he has issues with his dad while his mother Julia (Candice Bergen) who was Harold’s third wife feels guilty over the way she treated Danny and Jean. The scenes in the second half as it relates to Harold being hospitalized and the idea of him dying does come into play where Jean does reveal a harrowing story of what happened to her as a teenager in relation to a friend of Harold a long time ago. It is followed by a moment of comical bonding for Danny and Matthew yet it would be followed by the two going to their father’s retrospective with Jean and Eliza as it showcases the pain that their father caused towards them. The film’s chapters emphasize on Danny, Matthew, Harold’s health, Jean’s story, and a final chapter on Harold’s fate but also the future that is Eliza. Yet, its ending is about these three siblings as they try to cope with their father’s shadow and how they would break out of it. Overall, Baumbach crafts a funny yet somber film about a family coping with the disappointments of their lives and the emotional chaos laid upon them from their father.

Cinematographer Robbie Ryan does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography to capture the autumn-like season of New York City and areas upstate including Massachusetts for the scenes at the hospital while maintaining some low-key lights for some of the interior scenes at night. Editor Jennifer Lame does excellent work with the editing as its usage of jump-cuts help play into some of the film’s emotionally-intense scenes along with some stylish cuts for Eliza’s student films. Production designer Gerald Sullivan, with set decorator Kris Moran and art director Nicolas Locke, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Harold and Maureen have in the city as well as Maureen’s country home upstate as it is filled with all sorts of things including the former’s art work. Costume designer Joseph G. Aulisi does amazing work with the costumes from some of the clothes that Eliza wears to the strange and hippie clothing of Maureen.

Special effects supervisor Jeff Brink and visual effects supervisor Andrew Lim do terrific work on some of the film’s minimal effects that mainly is featured in some of Eliza’s student films. Sound editor Paul Hsu does superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects that are created for Eliza’s student films but also in being straightforward of the way a gathering sounds like or how things sound in a location such as Matthew talking to his son on the phone while at a gas station. The film’s music by Randy Newman is wonderful with its low-key yet piano-based score that plays into some of the film’s melancholia with some string-based pieces in some of the dramatic moments while Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham provide some offbeat music pieces for Eliza’s student films. Music supervisor George Drakoulias creates a fun soundtrack that features music from Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, Cameo, Prefab Sprouts, and a few classical pieces and some original songs written by Adam Sandler and Noah Baumbach.

The casting by Douglas Aibel and Francine Maisler is incredible as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Sigourney Weaver as herself at Shapiro’s retrospective, Josh Hamilton as a friend of Loretta at the Shapiro retrospective, Danny Flaherty as Eliza’s boyfriend Marcus, Sakina Jeffrey as Dr. Malina Soni who watches over Harold, Gayle Rankin as the nurse Pam that also watches over Harold, Jerry Matz as an old friend of Harold in Paul whom Jean dislikes, Mickey Sumner as an attendee of Harold’s retrospective at Bard that Matthew becomes attracted to, Matthew Shear as Matthew’s colleague Gabe who tries to help out in handling Harold’s financial situations, and Adam Driver in a terrific one-scene performance as a client of Matthew’s in Randy who trying to get his dream apartment made despite the lack of finances he has. Candice Bergen is fantastic in her one-scene appearance as Matthew’s mother and Harold’s third wife Julia who hadn’t seen Harold in years while laments over the way she treated Danny and Jean feeling she only made things worse for them.

Judd Hirsch is excellent as L.J. Shapiro who is an old friend of Harold who is the embodiment of what Harold could’ve been if he wasn’t much of a prick yet Hirsch is someone who often praises Harold and his work feeling that Harold should’ve gotten more recognition. Rebecca Miller is brilliant as Shapiro’s daughter Loretta who is also an old childhood friend of Danny as the two reminisce about their childhood and being the children of artists as it prompts Danny into wanting to renew a relationship with her. Emma Thompson is amazing as Harold’s fourth wife Maureen as an alcoholic artist who often wears hippie-like clothing and cooks strange feasts as she is someone who believes she has a lot in handling Harold’s financial and health situations despite the fact that she’s kind of a flake though she does mean well.

Grace Van Patten is incredible as Eliza Meyerowitz as Danny’s daughter who is about to go to Bard to study film as she creates these sexually-provocative student films while lamenting over the idea of she can make it as an artist like her grandfather. Elizabeth Marvel is remarkable as Jean Meyerowitz as a woman who works for Xerox as she never showed any ambition while spending much of her time taking care of her father while eventually sharing a secret when she was a teenager that would shock her brothers and becoming a muse for Eliza. Dustin Hoffman is marvelous as Harold Meyerowitz as moderately-successful artist who laments over his lack of major success but also has this attitude where he thinks he’s better than many yet he is a fucking prick when it comes to his kids where he does make them feel terrible as it is one of Hoffman’s great performances.

Ben Stiller is great as Matthew Meyerowitz as the youngest of Harold’s three kids and half-sibling to Jean and Danny as someone who has found success through business and accounting while dealing with the fact that his success doesn’t mean much to his father and often brings a lot of insecurities towards his siblings whom he felt never had the chance to connect with. Finally, there’s Adam Sandler in a phenomenal performance as Danny Meyerowitz as the eldest of the three siblings as an unemployed man that was once a gifted musician but quit due to his insecurities as he copes with an unresolved limp and trying to take of his father as well as the lack of connection he has with his siblings as it is a somber yet charming performance from Sandler.

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a sensational film from Noah Baumbach. Featuring a great ensemble cast with standout performances from Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel, Grace Van Patten, and Emma Thompson, insightful and witty observation on family dysfunction and art, gorgeous visuals, and a terrific music score from Randy Newman. It is a rich and compelling film that explores family dysfunction as well as the idea of a family who are dealing with man’s legacy who is filled with complications and their own shortcomings but also themselves as they try to find ways to be together. In the end, The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) is a spectacular film from Noah Baumbach.

Noah Baumbach Films: Kicking and Screaming (1995 film) - Highball - Mr. Jealousy - The Squid & the Whale - Margot at the Wedding - Greenberg - Frances Ha - While We're Young - Mistress America - De Palma - Marriage Story - (White Noise (2022 film)) - The Auteurs #41: Noah Baumbach

© thevoid99 2021

Flirting with Disaster

Written and directed by David O. Russell, Flirting with Disaster is the story of a man who goes on a road trip with his wife and newborn baby to find his biological parents with the help of an adoption agency employee as others join in on the search. The film is an offbeat comedy that plays into a man’s need to find his real parents as he copes with idea of parenthood as well as his own marriage as he becomes attracted towards the adoption agency employee. Starring Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Tea Leoni, Josh Brolin, Richard Jenkins, Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Glenn Fitzgerald, Alan Alda, and Lily Tomlin. Flirting with Disaster is a witty and whimsical film from David O. Russell.

The film is the simple story of a neurotic man whose inability to name his newborn child forces him to try and find his biological parents to find out who he is as he is aided by an adopted agency employee whom he becomes attracted to. It plays into a man in his search for his own identity and roots where he is joined by his wife on a trip to find his real parents but bad information and incompetence lead to several setbacks with others joining this man’s adventure to find his real parents. David O. Russell’s screenplay has a unique narrative structure as it follows the journey of Mel Coplin (Ben Stiller) who is given news that the identity of his biological mother has been found. Mel’s wife Nancy (Patricia Arquette) joins Mel out of support as she takes their newborn baby with them despite the protests of Mel’s adoptive parents in Ed and Pearl Coplin (George Segal and Mary Tyler Moore, respectively) who feel unhappy by the news. Joining them is the adoptive agency employee Tina (Tea Leoni) who wants to record the event as she and Mel become attracted to each other.

Russell’s direction does have elements of style in the way he captures the journey of a neurotic man as it is shot on various locations in New York City as well as parts of San Diego, Arizona, and a couple of places in Michigan such as Kalamazoo and Battle Creek. While there are moments where Russell would use wide shots for some of the locations and scenes that play into the characters inside a home which includes a key moment in the first act that has Mel meeting a woman who could be his mother. Much of Russell’s compositions would rely on medium shots and close-ups in the way characters interact including scenes that include Nancy’s old high school friend Tony Kent (Josh Brolin) who is an ATF agent with a partner both at work and in life in Paul Harmon (Richard Jenkins) as they both join the trip during its second half.

The film’s third act doesn’t just play into absurd humor but also in light drama as it relates to the tension that is looming in Mel and Nancy’s marriage with the former being attracted to Tina and the latter being nurtured by Tony. It also play into the eventual meeting of another prospect of who could be Mel’s real parents in Richard and Mary Schlichting (Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin, respectively) who also have a younger son in Lonnie (Glenn Fitzgerald) who is angry about the idea of having an older brother. The meeting would be a mixture of humor and chaos as well as an aftermath that would later involve all sorts of shenanigans and drama that is happening. Overall, Russell creates a witty yet exhilarating film about a man trying to find his identity in his search for his biological parents with others joining him in a chaotic journey.

Cinematographer Eric Alan Edwards does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward to play into the different looks of the location including the scenes in Michigan with its snow and the sunnier look of New Mexico in the daytime. Editor Christopher Tellefsen does brilliant work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts and other rhythmic cuts to play into the humor. Production designer Kevin Thompson, with art director Judy Rhee plus set decorators Susan Block and Ford Wheeler, does fantastic work with the look of the different homes that Mel and his entourage encounter from the home of a woman in San Diego with her glass figurines to the stylish home and art work of the couple he meets in New Mexico.

Costume designer Ellen Lutter does nice work with the costumes as it play into the personality of the characters from the casual look of Mel and Nancy to the sexy, business-like look of Tina and the more hippie look of the Schlichtings. Sound designer Wendy Hedin does terrific work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the different locations in the film. The film’s music by Stephen Endelman does wonderful work with the sound as it is largely low-key in its folk music presentation while music supervisor Bonnie Greenberg provides a fun soundtrack that mixes rock, pop, country, and alternative music from acts like Southern Culture on the Skids, Cake, Urge Overkill, Dr. John with Angela McCluskey, Dean Martin, Inch, Carl Perkins, and the Grateful Dead.

The casting by Risa Bramon Garcia and Ellen Parks is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Cynthia LaMontagne and Beth Stern as twin women who are the daughters of a woman in San Diego, David Patrick Kelly as a trucker in Michigan who might be Mel’s father, Celia Weston as Valerie Swaney as the woman from San Diego who might be Mel’s mother, and Glenn Fitzgerald as Lonnie Schlichting as a young man who might be Mel’s brother who doesn’t like Mel at all as he’s overly rude and jealous towards him. Alan Alda and Lily Tomlin are fantastic in their respective roles as Richard and Mary Schlichting as a couple from New Mexico who might be Mel’s biological parents as they’re hippie artists that are fascinated by Mel while being those who prefer to live a life of isolation away from the conventions of society. Richard Jenkins and Josh Brolin are superb in their respective roles as the ATF agents Paul Harmon and Tony Kent as a gay couple who join Mel and his entourage in the journey with Jenkins as the more reluctant of the duo as he would later have a bad encounter with drugs while Brolin is more carefree as he tries to renew his friendship with Nancy in odd ways.

Mary Tyler Moore and George Segal are excellent in their respective roles as Mel’s adoptive parents in Pearl and Ed Coplin with Moore being very funny in dealing with her son’s neuroses and wear some skimpy yet sexy underwear while Segal is more low-key as someone who is just as neurotic as Mel. Tea Leoni is brilliant as Tina Kalb as a recently-divorced adoption agency employee who wants to document Mel’s reunion with his biological parents as she becomes attracted to Mel only to realize that she’s hiding her own issues as it relates to her incompetence and failure in life. Patricia Arquette is amazing as Nancy Coplin as Mel’s wife who joins him on the journey as she finds herself neglected forcing her to turn to Tony for attention with weird results. Finally, there’s Ben Stiller in a remarkable performance as Mel Coplin as a man who is eager to find out who his parents are as it play into his anxiety over who he is and his inability to name his newborn son that would also prompt him to be attractive towards Tina that would become chaotic as it’s a witty performance from Stiller.

Flirting with Disaster is an incredible film from David O. Russell. Featuring a great cast, an offbeat yet funny premise, and its study of identity and anxiety. It’s a film that play into some of ideas of a man’s journey that would devolve into chaos as well as revelations about himself. In the end, Flirting with Disaster is a sensational film from David O. Russell.

David O. Russell Films: Spanking the Monkey – Three Kings - I Heart Huckabees – The Fighter - Silver Linings Playbook - American Hustle - Accidental Love - Joy (2015 film) - The Auteurs #70: David O. Russell

© thevoid99 2018

While We're Young

Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, While We’re Young is the story of a middle-aged couple who cope with their life as they would start to socialize with a young couple in their 20s. The film is an exploration into the world of adulthood and growing up as two different couples hang out together in an attempt to have fun and figure out how to live their lives. Starring Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Horowitz, Brady Corbet, and Charles Grodin. While We’re Young is a witty yet compelling film from Noah Baumbach.

The film is the story of a couple in their 40s as they cope with aging and uncertainty until their lives are sparked after meeting a young couple in their 20s where they become reinvigorated creatively and in themselves. At the same time, they help this young couple with a documentary film where things become more complicated where the old couple starts to get close the younger one while alienating their older friends. It’s a film that plays into the idea of aging and growing up but also ambition and such as the character Josh (Ben Stiller) is a documentary filmmaker struggling to finish a film as he and his wife Cornelia (Naomi Watts) are also dealing with the fact that their friends are spending more time being parents as they become unsure about having children.

Noah Baumbach’s screenplay does have a unique structure as well as some depth into the key characters in the film as both Josh and Cornelia are reluctant into having children as their previous attempts ended up not being good. Upon meeting the aspiring filmmaker Jamie (Adam Driver) and his wife Darby (Amanda Seyfried), the two would socialize with the two where both couples get something out of each other. Jamie isn’t just a fan of Josh’s work but also the work of Cornelia’s father Leslie Breitbart (Charles Grodin) whom Josh was mentored by. Jamie’s influence on Josh would seep into his work and ideas to get more money for the film he wanted to make where Josh would also help Jamie out with his own film project as it related to an old friend he knew as a kid.

Eventually, it plays into the ideas of ambition as Josh copes with his own failings as a filmmaker but also deals with Jamie’s ambition which would affect everyone’s lives. Even as Cornelia returns to the producer’s hat which becomes complicated while Darby becomes left out as her character is the one that would grow up as she craves for something simpler. All of which play into this world of ambition as Cornelia and her father gets sucked into Jamie’s world as Josh’s own professional life begins to fall apart where he is forced to act like the adult. Even if he comes to term with who he and Cornelia are as well as who Jamie and Darby are.

Baumbach’s direction is quite simple in terms of the compositions he creates as it is emphasized more on capturing moments that are happening as opposed to something that is more visual. Shot on location in New York City and various nearby locations, the film is definitely a look into this world of the city where 20-somethings created an environment of their own. Baumbach’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are very potent as it includes a scene of the two couples in a car where Josh and Jamie are in the front both wearing Fedora hats while Cornelia, Darby, and a friend are in the back singing an obscure song from a commercial that Josh did years ago. There are elements in the film that does feel loose and realistic as well as comical such as a scene where Cornelia goes to this thing with mothers and their babies as it’s very silly that plays into Cornelia’s sense of discomfort.

Baumbach also plays into the world of high art culture and the world of film as it relates to Josh and Jamie where they would collaborate on a film together. In some ways, Baumbach sort of makes fun of the world of documentaries as it relates to some of the current gimmicks some use to tell their stories. Even as it plays into the idea of old vs. new generation ethics and such where Baumbach definitely approaches it with some humor and some light drama as it delves into Cornelia’s own sense of confusion about where to go and Darby’s own frustrations with the idea of ambition. All of which leads a climax as it relates to the idea of what it means to be an adult. Overall, Baumbach creates an engaging and funny film about a middle-aged couple seeking to find their youth through a young couple.

Cinematographer Sam Levy does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it is very colorful and vibrant that captures many of the moments of New York City with some intimate lighting schemes for some of its nighttime interior scenes. Editor Jennifer Lame does superb work with the editing as it‘s straightforward in some parts while has some stylish usage of montages and jump-cuts to play into the humor. Production designer Adam Stockhausen and set decorator Kris Moran do amazing work with the look of the home that Josh and Cornelia live in as well as the place that Jamie and Darby live in.

Costume designer Ann Roth does nice work with the costumes as it‘s very low-key and casual with a sense of style that plays into the world that Jamie and Darby live in. Sound editor Paul Hsu does terrific work with the sound as it‘s very low-key in some places with some raucous moments in some of social events the characters go into. The film’s music by James Murphy is fantastic as it‘s a very low-key electronic music score that plays into the humor and drama in the film while music supervisor George Drakoulias brings in a fun soundtrack that features classical pieces by Antonio Vivaldi to a diverse array of contemporary music from David Bowie, Lionel Richie, Survivor, Paul McCartney & Wings, Haim, 2Pac, A Tribe Called Quest, Danny Kaye, and the Psychedelic Furs.

The casting by Douglas Aibel and Francine Maisler is brilliant as it features notable small appearances from Peter Bogdanovich as a tribute speaker, Ryan Serhant as a dim-witted hedge fund investor, Dean Wareham as a shaman, Liz Stauber as the sister of Jamie’s old friend Kent, Matthew Maher as Josh’s editor Tim, Bonnie Kaufman as the wife of Josh’s documentary subject, Dree Hemingway as Jamie and Darby’s flat mate Tipper who aids Jamie in his film work, and the legendary folk singer Peter Yarrow as Josh’s documentary subject who often says strange things that are often quite amusing. Charles Grodin is excellent as Cornelia’s father Leslie Breitbart who tries to help Josh with his documentary while being impressed with what Jamie has come up with. Adam Horowitz and Maria Dizzia are fantastic in their respective roles as Fletcher and Marina as Josh and Cornelia’s friends who had just become parents as they have a hard time dealing with Josh and Cornelia’s new activities. Brady Corbet is amazing as Jamie’s old friend Kent who becomes Jamie’s documentary subject as it’s an odd but engaging performance from Corbet.

Amanda Seyfried is remarkable as Darby as a young woman who is skilled at making things including her own ice cream as she bonds with Cornelia in dancing while being alienated by Jamie’s ambitions. Adam Driver is marvelous as Jamie as an aspiring filmmaker who befriends Josh when he attends one of Josh’s lectures as he is someone that does mean well as he is generous and cool but also is very driven to succeed which alienates Darby and scares Josh. Naomi Watts is riveting as Cornelia as a woman who used to produce films for her dad as she copes with not wanting to be a mother as she tries to find herself while being infatuated with Jamie and Darby. Finally, there’s Ben Stiller in a phenomenal performance as Josh as a documentary filmmaker struggling with aging as he tries to feel young while becoming usurped by Jamie as it would affect his professional and personal life.

While We’re Young is a sensational film from Noah Baumbach. Armed with a great cast, a fun soundtrack, and engaging views on aging and adulthood. It’s a film that isn’t just one of Baumbach’s more accessible films but also one of his funniest in terms of exploring the downsides of growing up as well as some of the fallacies of youth. In the end, While We’re Young is an exhilarating and heartfelt film from Noah Baumbach.

Noah Baumbach Films: Kicking and Screaming - Highball - Mr. Jealousy - The Squid & the Whale - Margot at the Wedding - Greenberg - Frances Ha - Mistress America - DePalma - The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) - Marriage Story - (White Noise (2022 film)) - The Auteurs #41: Noah Baumbach

© thevoid99 2015

Tropic Thunder

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 8/13/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Directed and starring Ben Stiller and written by Stiller, Justin Theroux, and Etan Cohen. Tropic Thunder tells the story of a Vietnam war film production gone horribly wrong due to a group of egomaniacal actors and an overly serious director as production is suddenly shut down. Through the suggestion of the film's deranged screenwriter, the director and five of his actors decide to into guerilla filmmaking to shot on actual locations until they're captured by a real Vietnam army as they decide to fight back. A spoof of sorts on egomaniacal, so-called "auteurs", method actors, and all sorts of things that go wrong in a big, Hollywood production. Stiller and his team decide to make a film that makes fun of all of these notorious Hollywood production while taking shots on everything and everyone including Stiller himself. With an all-star cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Brandon T. Jackson, Nick Nolte, Jay Baruchel, Reggie Lee, Brandon Soo Hoo,  Matthew McConaughey, & Tom Cruise. Tropic Thunder is an explosive yet witty comedy from Ben Stiller & co.

A Vietnam War film epic entitled Tropic Thunder is being made by first-time director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) with help from the man who wrote the book the film is based on named "Four Leaf" Tayback (Nick Nolte). The film stars fading action star Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) whose career is in the skids and is in desperate need to make a comeback following a disastrous portrayal in the critical and commercial bomb Simple Jack where he played a mentally-challenged farmhand. Speedman's co-star includes comedy actor Jack Portnoy (Jack Black) whose Fatties franchise has made him rich but with no respect as he's also gotten trouble for his dependency on heroin. Playing the role of the film's African-American platoon sergeant is critically-acclaimed, award-winning Australian actor Kirk Lazarus whose method-actor persona to play roles has reached new heights where he darkens his skin to portray an African American.

The film also stars a rapper-turned-actor named Alpa Chino (Brandon T. Jackson) and newcomer Kevin Sandusky (Jay Baruchel) as Cockburn is overwhelmed with the actors' demands and such. With a month behind schedule, lots of money spent, and an accident involving pyrotechnics by special effects guru Cody Underwood (Danny R. McBride) has made Tropic Thunder a likely disaster. After a meeting with studio head Les Grossman (Tom Cruise), Cockburn fears that the film would be shut down until Tayback suggests to shoot the film on location in the jungles guerilla style. Cockburn, Tayback, Underwood, and the five actors go to the jungle as Tayback and Underwood watch from afar to work on the special effects. Yet, as Cockburn gets ready to shoot, something bad happens.  What the actors and crew don't know is that they're nearby a group of drug farmers known as Flaming Dragon as everything becomes confusing except for Kirk Lazarus who believes that they're lost and in trouble. 

With Sandusky being the only person able to read maps, Speedman is convinced that they're still shooting a film. Tayback and Underwood meanwhile, learn that something has gone wrong when they're suddenly captured by the Flaming Dragon as a secret is unveiled. Back in Hollywood, Speedman's agent Rick "Pecker" Peck (Matthew McConaughey) tries to get Speedman his TiVo as part of the contract when he learns that Speedman has been captured by the Flaming Dragon whose leader is a 12-year old kid named Tran (Brandon Soo Hoo) who has held him for ransom. Speedman is forced to be tortured while having to play the role of Simple Jack in front of the Flaming Dragon. Rick and Grossman contact the Flaming Dragon but Grossman has ideas of his own that would make him save money. With Portnoy now on withdrawal after his stash of heroin had been stolen by a bat, it's up to Lazarus, Chino, Sandusky, and Portnoy to save Speedman as they try to figure out what to do as they decide to act out as war heroes with Speedman, Tayback, and Underwood helping by as all hell breaks loose with some surprising help.

The film is essentially a satire on not just war movies but Hollywood itself. The film begins with a series of fake trailers and an ad for Alpa Chino's Booty Sweat drink to his song I Love Tha Pussy that makes fun of Hollywood, it's commercialism, and the types of films that are being made from bloated action films, low-brow comedy, and the Oscar-bait films. What Ben Stiller and his co-writers do is take a look at Hollywood and show audiences how bloated it is. How they can do stupid things while taking shots at studio executives, agents, directors, and actors. Stiller even makes fun of himself knowing that he too, has an ego since he's also the director of this film.

Stiller's approach to the film does work since that it's a big film with explosions and such as he creates something that's meant to be bloated like a war film set. Shot on location in Hawaii, the film does have a look that is like many war films. At the same time, it plays up like an action film. While not every joke Stiller creates is perfect, he does hit the funny moments right at its target largely due to the help of his actors and crew. Stiller even lets actors get loose into some comedic moments while the faux trailers he creates range from being really funny to something that looks extremely bad yet unintentionally hilarious. It's Stiller making fun of Hollywood as well as the things actors are willing to do for the sake of their art. 

The character of Kirk Lazarus, who darkens his skin black to play an African-American might conjure up the idea of black-face. Yet, what Stiller does is to show how method actors are willing to take themselves way too seriously. Yet, there's an African-American character in that film who takes issue with Lazarus acting like an African-American as a commentary on how actors of color would get overlooked in favor of white actors. It's a dead-on commentary that Stiller and his writers make as does the portrayal of mentally-challenged people.

Now there were some groups that might have had some offense to portrayal of mentally-challenged individuals where the term "retard" is used. Those advocate groups and such are missing the point. What Stiller is trying to say is how far actors are willing to go to play mentally-challenged folks just so they can win an Oscar and such. It's really more about how low Hollywood is willing to cash in or claim glory for a group of flawed individuals. The conversation Speedman and Lazarus has about this issue is where Lazarus says "You never go full retard" as a point of how low actors are willing to play mentally-challenged people. Stiller is right on the money, why do you think Sean Penn didn't win for Best Actor for I Am Sam? And that movie fucking sucked! Overall, Stiller's direction and the script unveils at Hollywood at its most absurd as Stiller and his team is dead-on about all the things Hollywood is willing to do.

Cinematographer John Toll, famous for his work in Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line and Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai does excellent work with the film's war-like look with wonderful shading and such on the film's exterior sequences. Toll's work, though not up to par with his other camera work, is right for the film as he captures the look of war movies while getting the chance to mimic some of those great war scenes. Editor Greg Hayden does excellent work with the film's cutting that plays to its rhythm of action films while allowing the chance to slow down for some of the film's comedy scenes.

Production designer Jeff Mann with set decorator Daniel B. Clancy and art directors Richard L. Johnson and Dan Webster do excellent work in creating a set for film's war scenes, heroin farm, and all that stuff to create a look that looks like a war movie. In the Hollywood scenes, it's all filled with hi-tech gadgets and posh rooms with Matthew McConaughey playing video games and such. Costume designer Marlene Stewart does great work in creating the look of the soldier clothes as well as the look of the Flaming Dragon stuff to give the idea of a war movie. Sound editors Jim Brookshire and Craig Henighan also do great work with the film's sound in the layering of machine gun fire, explosions, and such. Special effects supervisor Michael Meinardus and visual effects supervisor Michael Owens do great work in the creation of explosions and falling helicopters for all the film's action sequences. The make-up design is great with Michele Burke and Barney Burman creating a great look for Tom Cruise as the fat, bald, flabby Les Grossman.

Music composer Theodore Shapiro creates music that is reminiscent of most war films that is often sweeping and bombastic while the film's soundtrack supervised by George Drakoulias is filled with classic cuts by the Temptations, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Rolling Stones, and other cuts of the late 1960s while the Mooney Suzuki and Crystal Method provide most of the newer music. The soundtrack overall, is excellent for that era of Vietnam while the new music adds a fresh, exciting approach to the film.

The casting by Kathy Driscoll and Francine Maisler is excellent with cameo appearances from Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jon Voight, Jason Bateman, Nsync star Lance Bass, Tyra Banks, Maria Menounos, Stiller's real-life wife Christine Taylor as a star in Simple Jack, and in the hilarious Satan's Alley trailer, Tobey McGuire. Notable small roles from J. Thomas & Jacob Chon as an Asian boy Stiller befriends while Reggie Lee and Trieu Tran are excellent as two of Tran's henchman. Bill Hader is good as studio executive Rob Slolom though isn't given much to do except play a foil for Les Grossman. Newcomer Brandon Soo Hoo is great as Tran, the 12-year old drug lord who manages to beat Tugg Speedman into submission while having a great fight scene with Jack Black.

Steve Coogan is excellent as first-time director Damien Cockburn who is trying to make a great war movie while dealing with all of the egos of his actors and production problems as Coogan's small role is definitely worth remembering. Danny McBride, riding high from his other comedic role in the Judd Apatow-David Gordon Green film Pineapple Express, is great as special effects guru Cody Underwood who likes to explode things while in awe of Four-Leaf Tayback as he gets a chance to live a dream despite some bad experiences on Hollywood sets. Nick Nolte is also great as Four-Leaf Tayback with all of his grizzled, psychotic war experience while sporting hooks until he seems what he isn't to be as Nolte is superb in this role. Matthew McConaughey, who fills in for Owen Wilson, is great as loyal agent Rick "Pecker" Peck who is trying to get Speedman his TiVo for while making sure his career is still going well no matter how bad it is.

In what has to be his best performance since Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 film Magnolia, Tom Cruise delivers a hilarious performance as a foul-mouthed, balding, sleazy studio head honcho Les Grossman. Wearing a fat suit and all sorts of prosthetics, Cruise's appearances are some of the funniest moments as he dances and curses throughout the entire movie. Brandon T. Jackson is excellent as Alpa Chino (get it), a rapper-turned-actor who also carries a secret while trying to deal with Kirk Lazarus acting all African-American as he serves a great foil for Downey. Jay Baruchel is also great as Kevin Sandusky, a new young actor with combat training experience who is the straight man of the film while being the one guy who keeps his cool and point out every contradiction that the actors have.

Jack Black is wonderfully funny as Jack Portnoy, an actor that's a satire on latter-day Eddie Murphy as well as late, troubled comedy actors like Chris Farley and John Belushi. Black's performance is filled with some funny one-liners and antics that's typical of Black yet it works since he brings what he does. Ben Stiller is excellent in his role as the clueless yet egotistical Tugg Speedman, an actor whose star is fading as he's desperate for a comeback. Playing it straight while doing the typical Stiller antics known in most of his comedies, it's an excellent performance where Stiller makes fun of actors including himself. It's a fine one from a comedy actor who prefers to share the screen with other actors.

Finally, there's Robert Downey Jr. in one of his best performances to date. Riding high from his recent performance in Jon Favreau's Iron Man, Downey exhibits all of the craziness that method actors do as Downey stays in character throughout the entire film. Sporting a funny African-American accent, saying lots of slang, and a whole lot of stuff, Downey downplays all the stereotypes given for most African-American actors while saying the word "motherfucker" a lot. It's a performance that's truly Oscar-worthy as in a year of stellar to great performances, Robert Downey Jr. is truly at the top of his game.

Tropic Thunder is a funny, smart, and action-packed comedy from Ben Stiller as it's also his best work to date as a director. While some might prefer the zaniness and low-brow humor of Zoolander, Tropic Thunder works for its satire and a great collection of actors led by Robert Downey Jr. In a year where spoofs, parodies, and satires lose its touch, it's good to see a film that knows that it can take itself seriously and cannot. With additional kudos to Jack Black, Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Matthew McConaughey, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Nick Nolte, and Tom Cruise. Tropic Thunder is an all-out, laugh-out, explosive comedy that stands out as one of the year's best.

Ben Stiller Films: (Reality Bites) - (The Cable Guy) - (Zoolander) - (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013 film))

© thevoid99 2014

Greenberg

Since the release of 2005’s The Squid & the Whale following an eight-year hiatus from filmmaking. Noah Baumbach came back with a film that surprised audiences and critics over its portrait of divorce from the perspective of children. Two years later, Baumbach paid tribute to Eric Rohmer with Margot at the Wedding that starred Nicole Kidman, Jack Black, and Baumbach’s then-wife Jennifer Jason Leigh. After being in the American east coast for a large portion of his films, Baumbach moved west towards his next project about a man trying to get his life with Greenberg.

Directed by Noah Baumbach with a script written by Baumbach based on a story he conceived with Jennifer Jason Leigh. Greenberg tells the story of a man who decides to housesit his brother’s home following a mental breakdown as he then meets his brother’s personal assistant. The film is an exploration of depression and starting over. Starring Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Rhys Ifans, Merritt Weaver, Chris Messina, Brie Larson, Juno Temple, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Greenberg is a poignant yet witty film from Noah Baumbach and company.

Florence (Greta Gerwig) is a personal assistant for a man named Phillip Greenberg (Chris Messina) who is about to go on a six-week vacation to Vietnam to open a hotel with his family. Coming to stay over at Phillip’s house for the duration is his brother Roger (Ben Stiller) who needs a place to stay following a stay at a mental hospital in New York City. Florence has problems of her own having just broken up from a relationship with no idea what to do with herself. Upon Roger’s arrival, the only instruction Roger needed to do at home is to take care of the family dog while Florence helps him out with things.

Roger meets up with his old friend Ivan (Rhys Ifans) as he also tries to reacquainted with other old friends including his ex-girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who is now married. Aware of the changes that his old friends have in their lives, Roger decides to hang out with Florence as they connect through their own melancholia. Even as she invites him to a show where she’s singing. While her friend Gina (Merritt Weaver) isn’t sure that Roger is right for her, she’s interested in him because she feels kind of sorry for him. Even though he can be very angry all the time over everything.

When the dog becomes sick and Florence helps him out, Roger is having a hard time trying to relate to Florence as well as his old friends. A drink with Beth doesn’t go anywhere while he ponders what could’ve been when he and Ivan had a band that was very close to having a record deal that was thwarted by Roger back then. During his time with Ivan as Florence meets Ivan, Ivan isn’t sure about the relationship which is already having its ups and downs. Notably when Florence gets sick and had to go to the hospital. For Roger, he gets an unexpected visit from his sister-in-law’s stepsister Sara (Brie Larson) and her friend Muriel (Juno Temple) where a party happens as it leads to some unexpected events for Roger and the life that he’s leading.

The film is about two lost souls connecting with one another as they spend six weeks together trying to sort out their lives. Yet, it’s also about two people each dealing with their own identities. For Florence, she’s just a 26-year old woman trying to figure out what to do with herself while dealing with a break-up and being used for sexual pleasure with other men. Still, she is someone that is at least able to help people out and try to make something of herself no matter how flawed and young she is.

Then there’s Roger Greenberg who is someone having a hard time relating to the world and has just gotten out of a mental hospital. Upon his stay in Los Angeles, he finds himself having trouble relating to old friends and what they’re doing. The only one that is willing to give him the time of day is Ivan. Ivan however, is a character that is willing to listen to Greenberg complain about the world and everything else. Then in one scene, Greenberg asks Ivan if anyone had said anything about him as Ivan, reluctantly, says the truth about what people say. Greenberg is a man that is complicated and high-strung about everything where even his brother doesn’t help matters as Greenberg is doing his best to do things.

Baumbach’s screenplay is definitely an amazing character study about a man in crisis along with his fascination towards a 26-year old woman. His direction is also fascinating in the way he observes behaviors and events that happens around these characters. Even where he can make a children’s birthday party seem awkward though everyone else except Greenberg is having fun. The direction for the film is also very intimate with conversation pieces in various locations in Los Angeles by allowing some close-ups and two-shots for those scenes. Baumbach also creates scenes with humor that is mostly low-key while not over-dramatizing anything. Including some scenes where there’s a lot going on as one character is trying to be the center of attention. While the film does lag in a few spots, it is definitely one of Baumbach’s finest films.

Cinematographer Harris Savides does an excellent job with the film’s colorful photography as he takes advantage of the sunny look of Los Angeles. Even in capturing the nighttime look of the city in its exterior and interior settings with a wonderful intimacy that is truly gorgeous to watch. Savides’ work is definitely one of the film’s major highlights. Editor Tim Streeto does a fantastic job with the film’s editing in terms of creating amazing montages for a party scene where Greenberg is having different conversations with other people. Also in bringing jump-cuts for scenes where Florence is driving her car as it’s wonderfully stylized for a very unconventional film.

Production designer Ford Wheeler, along with set decorator Elizabeth Keenan and art director Curt Beech, does a very good job with the posh look of the Greenberg home that Roger is living in along with the more middle-class yet casual world that Florence lives in. Costume designer Mark Bridges also does a good job with the costumes from the casual, bohemian dresses that Florence wears to the casual, jeans-sweater shirts that Roger wears with everyone else looking more adult except for the young people Roger encounters. Sound editor Paul Hsu along with mixer Felix Andrews does an amazing job with the film’s sound from the intimate setting at the homes and club that Florence sings to the parties that Greenberg attends.

Music by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem is definitely another of the film’s highlights as it is a mixture of moody electronic music with elements of rock along with folk-driven pieces. Additional cuts from music supervisor George Drakoulias as he fills the rest of the film’s soundtrack with cuts by the Steve Miller Band, Paul McCartney, Albert Hammond, Galaxie 500, Lily Allen, Serge Gainsbourg, the Association, and Duran Duran. The soundtrack is definitely one of the most diverse and creative soundtracks of 2010.

The casting by Francine Maisler is superb with its array of memorable performances. Among them in the small roles include Mark Duplass as a former bandmate of Greenberg, Susan Traylor as Greenberg’s sister-in-law, Zach Chassler and Mina Badie as a couple who often swims in the Greenberg family pool, Chris Messina as Greenberg’s brother, and the dog Sam as the Greenberg family dog Mahler. Brie Larson and Juno Temple are very good as two young girls who party with Greenberg while Merritt Weaver is excellent as Florence’s friend Gina. Jennifer Jason Leigh is superb as Greenberg’s ex-girlfriend Beth who is polite to him though is not willing to go further with him about anything.

The film’s best supporting performance definitely belongs to Rhys Ifans as Ivan. Ifans plays the guy who listens to Greenberg while showing what is going on as he has a great scene that reveals what kind of a person Greenberg is and what kind of man Ivan is at this moment. It’s definitely a wonderful performance for Ifans who manages to let Ben Stiller outdo him only to get him late in the film. Greta Gerwig is radiant as Florence as a young woman who is just trying to find herself while being someone who knows she’s a bit immature and says a lot of things. Even as she is inexperienced in the way she handles things as Gerwig just brings a realism to her role as a lost soul just trying to find something.

Ben Stiller gives what is definitely his best performance in quite a long time during a period of some bad, mainstream-driven comedies where he makes a fool of himself. Stiller creates a character that is at times, un-likeable because he is so angry with the world and couldn’t relate to anything. Yet, there is also someone who is vulnerable and childlike in Stiller’s performance as the moments where’s not talking and just being quiet are very touching. Stiller’s scenes with Greta Gerwig are great to watch in the way interact along with the awkwardness as he allows himself to be funny in subtle moments. It’s definitely Stiller proving himself that outside of comedy, he is a capable and engaging dramatic actor.

While it may not live up to such films as Kicking & Screaming and The Squid & the Whale, Greenberg is a superb film from Noah Baumbach. Armed with fantastic performances from Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, and Rhys Ifans. It’s a film that is a wonderful exploration of self-identity and depression with elements of humor and realism. Even as fans of Noah Baumbach will see this as one of his finest films of his amazing career. In the end, Greenberg is a smart and engaging drama from Noah Baumbach and company.

Noah Baumbach Films: Kicking & Screaming - Highball - Mr. Jealousy - The Squid & the Whale - Margot at the Wedding - Frances Ha - While We're Young - Mistress America - The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) - Marriage Story - (White Noise (2022 film)) - De Palma - The Auteurs #41: Noah Baumbach

© thevoid99 2011

The Royal Tenenbaums

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 10/6/04.

Since arriving onto the independent film scene in 1996 with the quirky caper film Bottle Rocket, Austin, Texas filmmaker Wes Anderson has been known for his hilarious, sentimental views on the world and life in general. Co-written with actor Owen Wilson, Bottle Rocket became a cult hit as it earned Anderson the Best New Filmmaker award at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards. In 1998, Anderson helmed his sophomore feature, Rushmore about a young high school kid who begins to compete with a millionaire over the affections of a grade school teacher. Written with Owen Wilson, Rushmore was hailed as a landmark film for its absurd views on life and ambitions from an underachieving kid that also gave Anderson the prestigious New Generation Award from the L.A. Critics Association while comedian Bill Murray was receiving numerous acclaim for his role as the eccentric millionaire. In 2001, Anderson returned with a more ambitious ensemble film about a family crumbing from its own failures with the father desperately trying to save them for his own reasons until he realizes his own faults.

Entitled The Royal Tenenbaums based on a script from Anderson and Owen Wilson, it's a multi-layered story of the scheming, cruel Royal Tenenbaum trying to scam his family while seeing their own failures after 20 years of problems. Inspired by the works of J.D. Salinger, the film is Anderson's most offbeat project to date that features sentimental references and ideas that drives the dysfunctional Tenenbaum family. Starring Anderson regulars Owen and Luke Wilson, Kumar Pallana, Seymour Cassel, and Bill Murray along with Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Danny Glover, and Alec Baldwin as the narrator. The Royal Tenenbaums is a stark, funny tale of healing and redemption.

The story begins where after years of marriage, Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) and wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) are separating with Royal leaving the house. With Royal gone from the house though he frequently visits the children, Etheline chose to raise them herself. The eldest Tenenbaum child Chas (Aram Aslanian-Perisco) had become a successful real estate agent when he was very young while creating a breed of Dalmatian mice. Their adopted child Margot (Irene Gorovaia) graduated high school at an early age and became a successful playwright where she received a Braverman Grant of $50,000 in the ninth grade. The youngest, Richie (Amedeo Turturro, son of actor John Turturro) was a junior tennis player champion and eventually won the U.S. nationals three years in a row while trying to develop as a painter. Yet, the brilliance of the young Tenenbaum children would be erased by 20 years of betrayal, failure, and disaster.

22 years since Royal's separation from Etheline, the Tenenbaum family is all but estranged. Royal had become a litigator till the mid-1980s while staying at the Lindbergh hotel. Etheline had become an archeologist while being around numerous suitors before she finally considers one in an accountant named Henry Sherman (Danny Glover). Richie (Luke Wilson) had since retired from tennis after a public breakdown where he is sailing across the oceans where he only contacts his old childhood friend-turned-successful novelist Eli Cash (Owen Wilson) through telegram. Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) did more plays but for years, she hadn't done one while being married to neurologist Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray), who is working on a project for his new book. Chas (Ben Stiller) has become paranoid about safety after the death of his wife in a plane crash where he's raising his two sons Ari (Grant Rosenmeyer) and Uzi (Jonah Meyerson). Chas chooses to move back into the old Tenenbaum home with his children to the surprise of Etheline.

Margot also decides to move in as her marriage to Raleigh is disintegrating and at the same time after the doctor, Royal tells Etheline he's got six weeks to live while suffering from stomach cancer. Etheline tells the news to the family including Richie via telegram where he comes home and Royal tells the kids about the news. He also learns from the family's longtime servant Pagoda (Kumar Pallana) about Henry, who is in pursuit of having a serious relationship with Etheline. Royal later gets kicked out of the Lindbergh hotel where with help from bellhop Dusty (Seymour Cassel), he gets a chance to move back to the Tenenbaum house to the disgust of Chas, who sued his father years earlier over money. For a week, Royal tries to connect with his family where he would often go into recklessness with Ari and Uzi while visiting the grave of Chas' wife and Royal's mother. Then Royal notices that Margot is having an affair with Eli, while Raleigh is seeking Richie's help in finding out about the affair.

After Henry exposes Royal's scam, Royal leaves the house with Pagoda where his departure would mark tragic consequences. After learning about Margot's secret life including her first marriage and her numerous affairs including Eli, Raleigh is distraught and Richie attempts suicide after being found by Raleigh's current subject Dudley (Stephen Lea Sheppard). Margot, who broke off her affair with Eli, was exposed where the family is in shock and after Richie escapes from the hospital where he briefly decides to have a secret affair with Margot, he turns to his father for help. Royal, who now works as an elevator operator at the Lindbergh hotel, realizes the problems his family is suffering and decides to try and help them all, even Eli, who is suffering from a drug problem after the failure of his recent book.

What makes The Royal Tenenbaums such an interesting, fascinating film is its mix of humor and melancholy through Wes Anderson's offbeat world. While the movie echoes the works of Hal Ashby and Louis Malle along with references to the late Charles Schultz Peanuts comics, it's a film that really explores the dysfunction of families. Though some had complained the film was too strange to get into, it's a film that really has no clear genre but Anderson is truly a storyteller who brings in sentimental moments of life. Directing-wise, Anderson really captures a different New York City that doesn't feature any landmarks while showing some strange, idiosyncratic moments that involve family or quirks. Anderson's script that was co-written with Owen Wilson is part character study kind of film while it reveals what drives the family into failure and the resentments they have brought upon each other. It's a very smart, intricate kind of film.

Anderson's directing style is truly captured visually by the work of cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman, who brings in a bleak but colorful look of New York City and the quirky world of the Tenenbaum home on 111 Archer Avenue. Helping Yeoman visually is production designer David Wasco and art director Carl Sprague for the look of the colorful, wooden world of the Tenenbaum house that also features artwork from Wes's brother Eric who does the paintings of Richie's room and the paintings of Margot. Wasco also provides the strange set designs of Margot's early plays while in Eli's room, we see strange paintings from Mexican artist Miguel Calderon. With Yeoman using a blue filter for the disturbing scene of Richie attempting suicide, there's a fine use of the jump cut editing from Daniel R. Padgett and Dylan Tichenor, who brings a more traditional, straightforward approach to editing that helps the story moves. Also giving credit with the film's look is costume designer Karen Patch for her look on the Tenenbaum family's look from Richie tennis player look, Margot's long dress, and Chas's Adidas sports suit.

If there's another Wes Anderson has done great with all of his films, it's his choice of music with a wonderful, melancholic score from Devo co-founder Mark Mothersbaugh for its mix of jazz and traditional orchestra. With music supervisor Randall Poster on the helm, the film's soundtrack is a mix of lush jazz scores of the Vince Guaraldi trio and orchestral work from Ysaye Quartet to more rock stuff from the Clash, the Ramones, the Velvet Underground, Nico, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, Emitt Rhodes, Van Morrison, John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, and a wonderful orchestral version of the Beatles'"Hey Jude" in the film's opening prologue.

With the film featuring a diverse cast of actors that includes small parts from Anderson regulars, leading the pack in the cast are the children. The performances of the young Tenenbaum children by Aram Aslanian-Persico, Irene Gorovaia, Amedeo Turturro, and James Fitzgerald as the young Eli Cash are all naturally performed with Grant Rosenmeyer and Jonah Meyerson both having wonderful moments in their gracious performances as Ari and Uzi Tenenbaum, respectively. Stephen Lea Sheppard brings a quirky performance as Raleigh's strange subject Dudley with his off-color performance while Anderson regular Seymour Cassel is great as Dusty. Kumar Pallana brings a great performance as Pagoda in his scenes with Gene Hackman and even steals the show in a scene where he stabs him after the two get kicked out the Tenenbaum home. Danny Glover meanwhile, is the film's straight man where he gives the most normal and straightforward performance of the film with his disciplined, clean-cut manner and sensitive portrayal of Etheline's suitor who proves to have more than what is expected, especially from her troubled marriage to Royal.

Bill Murray delivers a wonderfully deadpan performance as the neurologist Raleigh St. Clair with his sad, devastating role as Margot's neglected husband while Murray got to show a bit of his quirks in his scene with Sheppard. It's truly one of Murray's best performances where he can do so little and be touching at the same time. Owen Wilson is hilarious as the paranoid, quirky Eli Cash with his strange theories about General Custer and the world while we see that he's filled with sadness to since he always wants to be a member of the Tenenbaum family and is yearning for their approval by sending Etheline his grades and clippings.

Luke Wilson gives a wonderful performance as Richie who seems to be the only one close to Royal while he learns why his siblings aren't where he tries to save the family at first but his own problems and his feelings for Margot get in the way as Luke brings in his most complex performance to date. Gwyneth Paltrow gives a wonderfully restrained, troubled performance as Margot who is lost in her own depression and we learn why she smokes and have affairs along with the story of her finger and the neglect she suffered from Royal. Paltrow brings in a lovely, subtle tone to a character that is deeply troubled and someone we feel for.

Ben Stiller is funny and sad in his role as Chas with his sense of paranoia and fear while we see him go out of control when things go wrong. Stiller, who is often funny in several of his films, goes for a more dramatic approach and it works very well here since he's just playing a man who lost his wife and is frustrated by the lack of love he gets from his father. Anjelica Huston is amazing as Etheline Tenenbaum with her complex feelings of love where she's still in love with Royal even though she despises him at the same time while she realizes there's love from Henry. Huston proves herself to be more than just a wife and mother by playing a woman who is independent yet is trying to find answers.

Gene Hackman is truly the film's best performance with his role as Royal Tenenbaum with his scheming ways and macho-like ways. Hackman brings sympathy to a character we're not really supposed to like but we end up loving him because he's a man that's trying to do right for himself and his family. Hackman has wonderful scenes with not just the children but also with Huston, Paltrow, and Glover, the Wilson brothers, and Stiller while he's truly in charge in a role that allows him to be funny, sad, and wise at the same time. Hackman is truly an actor who continually brings in performances that actors should be giving, as he gets better and more eccentric with each performance.

From the film's 2002 Criterion DVD release, The Royal Tenenbaums features a 2-DVD set filled with extras and the actual movie. The first disc only includes the movie with a widescreen digital transfer supervised by Wes Anderson along with Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 Surround Sound. The only other feature that appears in the first disc is an audio commentary from Wes Anderson who gives in some great insight to the film and its references including the dog Buckley that was named after Jeff Buckley and was a tribute to Snoopy. The film's commentary is Anderson being a bit funny but also insightful in the inspiration behind the characters including Etheline, which is partly inspired by his mother.

The film's second disc is filled with many features including a 30-minute IFC-produced special that shows Wes Anderson making The Royal Tenenbaums where it's an insightful special on how the film is being made while we see Anderson work closely with his collaborators. Also featured are interviews with the film's main cast that gives great insight from the actor's perspective on their characters with Bill Murray being the more eccentric with his answers while being more straightforward while Danny Glover was actually a bit funnier on the set. The film also includes a few outtakes that included a dangerous scene involving Anjelica Huston's hair nearly being burnt by a birthday cake candle and Bill Murray talking about the Dalmatian mice and Kumar doing his tricks.

One of the strangest features is a fake interview with Peter Bradley (Larry Pine) who talks to Kumar Pallana and his son Dipak plus Stephen Dignan, Sanjay Mathew, and Brian Tenenbaum who aside from Kumar played smaller roles while Brian is awaiting the arrival of the third Wilson brother, Andrew. Along with theatrical trailers and TV spots, the film also includes a collection of Eric Anderson's drawings, a photo gallery from set photographer James Hamilton, and designs from the movie plus the works of Miguel Calderon including a radio interview from the painter on Studio 360. This DVD is clearly one of the best works from the Criterion Collection and a must-have for Anderson fans.

Overall, The Royal Tenenbaums is a majestic, sprawling film from Wes Anderson with a great cast and crew on the helm. Though some might be turned off by its offbeat tones and quirkiness, Anderson has helmed a sentimental yet funny story that is filled with depth-driven characters and multi-layered storylines that is wonderfully narrated by Alec Baldwin. With a great soundtrack, evocative cinematography and look, it's a movie that makes Wes Anderson one of the most creative and eccentric directors of his generations. While films like Rushmore and Bottle Rocket delivers more laughs, The Royal Tenenbaums at least can give you something more to cheer about.

Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - Poison - The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom)

© thevoid99 2010