Thespian Thursdays: The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Written by C.Diva

I’ve been a Wes Anderson fan for ages, even written a review about one of his films here, but this movie holds a special place in my heart, probably more so than any other WA film. I don’t have brothers, but I am the eldest of three sisters, and this movie speaks to me on a very basic level of family relationships. There is so much to love about this film–from the music, the setting, and of course Anderson’s distinct cinematic style. This is the movie that, when I’m away from home and my husband and daughter for a few days, I throw it on my laptop, tuck my headphones into my ears, and let the familiar ache of homesickness wash over me in a tolerable way.

What I love most about this story is the intertwining tales of three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman) who are searching for meaning as individuals, only to find it when they come together as a family. None of them are perfect, yet their imperfections slot together like a jigsaw puzzle, creating an larger image of history, heritage and home that makes me miss my own sisters everytime I watch it.

There are great cameos by some of Wes Anderson’s usual cast of actors, but I won’t spoil this (10 year old) movie for you. Needless to say, when I sat down to think of my favorite modern film across all the genres to pen my first Thespian Thursday post, this is the movie that came to mind and I can’t find it in myself to doubt the choice.