The Darjeeling Limited

When I saw the trailer, I had mixed emotions. Part of me was as completely ecstatic as I always am for discovering any movie in which Wes Anderson is involved. The other part of me was a little disappointed to see that it looked exactly like everything else he does. Don't get me wrong. I'm an absolute sucker for his unique style. But I just began to wonder how many more movies he could make with the same actors, plot lines, camera techniques, and any other string of details before getting completely redudant and unoriginal. Again, don't get me wrong, I would keep watching his redudant and unoriginal movies, but I just began to get worried for him. Well, it turns out, The Darjeeling Limited is a bit of a departure. In Anderson's world, it's a simple movie. But keep in mind, to most directors a simple movie doesn't involve a film shot entirely on location in the country of India. Gone is the large cast and multiple story lines. Besides one flashback, gone is the detailed backstory. Gone are the elaborate and detailed sets. Gone is the original soundtrack. It's considerably shorter, too. Even many of the dry one-liners are gone, and the humor feels more subdued, not as dry or dark. Many things are different, and it gives the movie a simple feel. It turns out feeling like an EP between full-lengths or a short story between novels. One friend called it his Punch Drunk Love; a simple, straightforward story that follows an epic like Magnolia. And all of this allows us to focus on the scenery, the brothers, their stories, and their development on this journey. When you finish watching, you won't be blown away, and it won't make it to the top of your list of favorites. But the setting, the characters, and the story, along with the classic Anderson heartbreaking/heartwarming moments are enough to make it a solid, enjoyable movie that you'll be glad you saw.