Writer: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
Director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Amara Karan, Wallace Wolodarsky
Rating: R
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: February 26, 2008
The Darjeeling Limited is one of those rare movies that I have wanted to see for months and yet I knew as close to nothing about it, as possible. It wasn’t for lack of trying. It was more, I saw a trailer and then I forgot about it. The name stuck with me, but I couldn’t tell you who was in it or what it was about. All I knew was that I wanted to see this film. So, when it arrived on my desk for review, I couldn’t wait to pop it in and see what it was about.
I was sent a preview screener by 20th Century Fox. That being said, it is entirely possible that the actual store copy might have more special features or a better quality, if there are any issues. I am reviewing the quality of the disc that I received, but the information on quality and special features may be inaccurate if changes are made before the DVDs make it to the shelf. Either way, the movie was completely enjoyable and well worth watching.
I was delighted to find out that Jason Schwartzman was in this film. I think my first on-screen introduction to Schwartzman came in I Heart Huckabees, which is now one of my favorite movies. There is nothing quite as classic in the comedy world as Jason Schwartzman’s character reading his poetry while tied to a rock. That character can sum up my feelings for this movie in three simple words…”You rock…rock.” Well, maybe it doesn’t work as well if you’re not saying it to a rock, but you get the point.
Release Information:
The Darjeeling Limited will be released by 20th Century Fox onto DVD on February 26, 2008. The DVD, or rather the movie, which was made by Wes Anderson, who is known for writing, producing, and directing the bulk of his movies, hit the jackpot with the idea for this interesting film. Rather than using an original score, The Darjeeling Limited, which was shot in India uses music from Indian films. The feel of the movie is entirely off-center in the best of ways.
The Darjeeling Limited opened up to audiences at the Venice film festival back on September 3, 2007. Since that time, it has traveled to several other festivals including ones in New York, London, and Stockholm. The film enjoyed a limited run in theaters before finally being slated for release on DVD. You can pick up The Darjeeling Limited at all major retailers including Amazon where it retails for $17.99.
The The Darjeeling Limited Plot
There are so many things to like about The Darjeeling Limited that I wouldn’t know where to start if I had to make a list. The basic story is about three men who are learning to deal with the death of their father by taking a trip that will broaden their spiritual horizons. At the same time, they are learning to deal with the loss of someone that they had grown apart from long ago. While it is somewhat depressing to learn that relationships like those of fathers and sons tend to become stronger when one is dead, too often it is true enough.
The film begins with the prologue Hotel Chevalier. In the prologue we meet Jack (Jason Schwartzman). He has been locked up in a hotel for who knows how long. An old girlfriend comes over (Natalie Portman) and an intimate exchange of words and flesh occur between the two. The next thing you know we are heading into The Darjeeling Limited.
A cameo is done by Bill Murray. He is seen running, in an attempt to catch The Darjeeling Limited. Moments later we are greeted with the brothers who take up the bulk of the film. There is Peter (Adrien Brody), who arrives wearing his late father’s glasses (prescription and all), Jack, who we’ve already been introduced to somewhat, and finally Francis (Owen Wilson).
Francis is the oldest of the Whitman brothers. The three have come together, after some time, where they did not speak to one another. They have decided to go traveling through India on a quest of discovery. This trip is led by Francis who likes to remain scheduled. He hands out itineraries each morning that are created by his assistant, who is located in another car of the train.
The three brothers will be traveling in a first class, yet cramped, train car. The first time they are all together you see one thing in common and that is that they are loaded with tranquilizers, Indian cough syrup, and cigarettes, which are not supposed to be smoked on the train.
After discussing how everything will go on the trip, a well beaten up Francis, who is bandaged up enough to appear like he got in a fight with a Mac truck and lost, passes out the itinerary for the day. However, Francis doesn’t tell them the true meaning of the trip. He doesn’t even tell them what happened to his face. You can think of The Darjeeling Limited as a road trip that takes place on a train. Of course, no good road trip goes off without a hitch, and this movie being true to form, sends the train veering off track and the participants lost in the middle of nowhere, on the way to their destination.
You might think it hard for a train on a track to get lost, but consider it a metaphor for losing yourself. The brothers, come to find out, have not really spoken in the last year since their father has died. This trip and the subsequent unexpected trip off the track is meant to give them the self-discovery needed to put themselves in a better place. Oddly enough, they hope that they are able to discover what is missing in the ancient Holy Land.
The characters all have their own quirks that make them interesting, from Francis who is obsessed with control to Jack who is a fiction writer who writes firsthand accounts of what he knows so well that his brothers always call him on the reality, much to his dismay. This is where the comedy is found, in the relationships between the brothers. Of course, this amusement is not the main goal of the film. For that we must dig deeper into these characters.
They all have their own issues and despite stopping at every single alter they can find, you begin to think maybe they should learn to be comfortable being lost rather than praying for nothing to be found.
The Darjeeling Limited offers the perfect dysfunctional family from the off-center men who have not completely grown up to the mother whom we encounter later in the film. In every way, The Darjeeling Limited lives up to the hype. Not only that, it gives you something to think about the next time you decide you’re lost, which might be sooner than you think.
It is important to note that the acting here was perfectly cast and both the actors and director did a lovely job with one another. Brody is obviously brooding and pained by his father’s death, which is obvious by how he is always pulling dad’s things out of his pockets. Wilson is neurotic and amusing in his OCD big brother way and his need to control the situation right down to the cookie on his brother’s dessert plate. Finally, Schwartzman is perfect, playing the dead calm and completely amusing peacemaking writer that is not certain enough to go out on his own, but rather goes with the flow for the sake of his brothers. Without these three, The Darjeeling Limited would have been a much more depressing picture.
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Audio/Visual:
It is hard to say how excellent the quality will be for The Darjeeling Limited because I received a watermarked copy, which may or may not reflect the actual quality to be sold in stores. That being said, I am certain that the quality for The Darjeeling Limited will be flawless, or as close to it as possible. The film was shot in 2.44:1 anamorphic widescreen, so when all is said and done you should have a beautiful transfer. The copy we received did have some slight grain and a few moments of softness, but for a screener, the quality really was not that bad.
The audio, which is likely to go unchanged, comes in the form of Dolby Digital 5.1. The sound is beautiful and comes through without a problem. The sound effects are dynamic, the dialogue is crisp, and the music sounds good. The audio for The Darjeeling Limited was superior to the video in this screener though I am sure that it will change when it is a full release.
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Bonus Features:
There is a small selection of bonus features available on the The Darjeeling Limited. Things start out with the short film Hotel Chevalier. This can be watched with or without The Darjeeling Limited, though it is technically part one to the movie, so you won’t want to miss this the first time you see the film. Other features on the disc include “The Darjeeling Limited Walking Tour”, where you have a chance to learn about the various parts of the train. This isn’t very exciting, but it serves its purpose as a “making of” feature.
Finally, there are several trailers on the disc, including The Savages, The Onion Movie, Hitman, Resurrecting the Champ, Death at a Funeral, Juno, and Feast of Love.
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Bottom Line:
The Darjeeling Limited is an excellent movie offering subtle comedy and a unique perspective on life. The acting is superb, the direction is beautiful, and the camera work shows the finesse of a director that knows his way around a camera. In short, this is one fine film. If you are fans of Wilson, Schwartzman, or Brody you won’t want to miss this. You probably won’t want to miss this even if you have no idea who these guys are. It’s a great film and it comes highly recommended. Go check this one out and buy it if you like it.
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Technorati Tags: The Darjeeling Limited, 20th Century Fox, DVD Review, Drama, Comedy, Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Movie
