Movie Review of Darjeeling Limited

Loco-motive Journey Aboard "The Darjeeling Limited"

By: Kristy Barry

Posted: 10/16/07

The Darjeeling Limited" is another distinctive film from director Wes Anderson, whose other movies include "The Royal Tenenbaums," "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" and "Rushmore."

In the movie, three brothers embark on a train trip/spiritual journey throughout India to reconstruct their rocky relationship. They haven't spoken in a year, since their father's funeral. Owen Wilson acts as the oldest brother, who initiated the trip after a near-death motorcycle accident left him with bandages covering his face and a fresh look at life. He maps out different spots for the brothers to soak in the spiritual goodness, and asks them all to "seek the unknown" and to "say yes to everything." But, you can see the trouble coming at least a mile away.

Owen Wilson is hooked on prescription pills. Adrien Brody's character is trying to come to grips with the dad's death as well as the fact that his wife is seven months pregnant and he wants to leave her.

Jason Schwartzman plays a love-tortured, melancholy character who writes morbid stories, takes time out of the trip to check his ex-girlfriend's voicemail, and buys pepper spray along the trip--just in case.

A series of seemingly unfortunate events occur along the way and as they made their way back, Owen Wilson tells a man on a bus that they all set out for a life-changing experience but that it "didn't pan out." But you get the sense they have and just won't realize it until they return home.

Near the end of the movie, Owen Wilson removes his bloody bandages and recognizes he still has a lot of healing to do, but has his brothers by his side.

The movie deals with a lot of typical family behavior, petty arguing, Indian gift-giving, and telling each other's secrets behind their backs as well as banding together, whether it's by smoking together, throwing rocks at the train, or jumping into the rapids to save little boys attempting to cross the river.

The actors are what you expect them to be, the soundtrack is amazing, and the cinematography makes you want the PATH train to magically relocate itself to the Indian countryside.

Overall, "Darjeeling" shows that despite the difficulties of brotherly bonding, the struggle is ultimately worth it.

The movie is out on limited release and the closest locations from Newark are Union Square as well as Lincoln Center in Manhattan.

---

© Copyright 2009 Observer