5. The Darjeeling Limited
After hitting the right notes exploring the dysfunctional family with The Royal Tenenbaums, he explores it again removing the comfortable affluence under a chaotic household to introducing a differing culture in India, one that is seemingly alien to the three protagonists, played by Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Adrien Brody who are reunited again after their fathers funeral. The film once again deals with the common themes in Andersons work of loss, abandonment and the troublesome relationship that siblings occupy. The three brothers, all of whom share differing personalities, share moments of grief and comedy while the ever present bandaging of Wilsons face evokes the personal troubles that Wilson was experiencing during this time. His characters state enhances the poignancy with which all three communicate and share the predicaments they encounter along the way with Schwartzman and Brody holding their own particularly well. The Darjeeling Limited is certainly one of those films that is quietly moving, not instantly leaving its mark on you as you watch but becoming more retrospective with time, allowing to generate a deeper appreciation for the film. While the film does provide a series of great one liners, the humour is somewhat mooted under the feelings of pain the three protagonists experience, giving the film a differing edge. While not Andersons best, it is an impressive piece of work, aesthetically stunning and peculiar in its own charming way.