Wes Anderson films rarely spring to mind when one thinks of sentimental doggie departures: he's had them shot, drugged, abandoned, mangled and smacked with nary a tear shed in the process. Yet, when a convertible mows down the family beagle, Buckley, an unmistakable air of sadness permeates even the typically deadpan exterior of The Royal Tenenbaums. Buckley's death is not shown and we only learn of it through a few fleeting mentions but it's precisely because of this that the death stands out. Through the death of Buckley, the audience is reminded of how easily death and adversity can come to all creatures big and small. Moreover, Buckley's death reflects how important dogs really are to some of us. Of the three characters imperilled by the careening car, it's the two children who are saved; concern for Buckley is shrugged off multiple times. Yes, it's cynical, but the sombre undercurrent that Buckley's death puts in motion gives rise to a quietly affecting moment that's impossible to ignore.
