The Royal Tenenbaums is a 2001 movie directed by Wes Anderson about a broken family trying to fix itself. It follows Royal Tenenbaum, played by Gene Hackman, who leaves his wife Etheline and their three genius kids when they are young, then comes back years later pretending to be sick to win them over again.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Tenenbaumshttps://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/the-royal-tenenbaums
The story starts with Royal telling his kids, Chas, Margot, and Richie, that he and Etheline are splitting up. Each child is a child prodigy. Chas, played as an adult by Ben Stiller, is a whiz at math and business. Margot, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, writes a hit play in ninth grade, though she is adopted. Richie, played by Luke Wilson, becomes a tennis star.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Tenenbaumshttps://www.avclub.com/the-royal-tenenbaums-1798192840
Years pass, and the kids grow up but stay stuck in their past successes. Royal gets kicked out of his hotel and fakes having stomach cancer to move back into the family home. He sets up fake medical gear in Richie’s room and tries to bond with his grandkids by taking them on wild outings like shoplifting and watching dog fights. This causes fights, especially with overprotective Chas, who still has a BB pellet from a childhood accident stuck in his hand after Royal shot him during a fight.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Tenenbaumshttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265666/news/
Meanwhile, Etheline’s accountant Henry Sherman, played by Danny Glover, wants to marry her. Royal’s helper Pagoda spills the news, so Royal ramps up his fake illness. Margot has a secret affair with Eli Cash, played by Owen Wilson, who lives nearby. Richie finds out he loves Margot romantically, which leads to pain. Raleigh St. Clair, Margot’s odd husband played by Bill Murray, hires a detective who uncovers Margot’s past, including smoking, a hidden marriage, and other lovers. This crushes Richie, who cuts his hair, beard, and wrists in the bathroom.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Tenenbaumshttps://www.criterion.com/current/posts/214-the-royal-tenenbaums-faded-glories
Henry checks Royal’s cancer story and learns the hospital is closed, the doctor is fake, and the pills are just Tic Tacs. He tells the family, and Royal gets kicked out with Pagoda into a cab. The movie shows the family’s faded glory through quirky scenes, like rooftop talks between Richie and Margot, ice cream dates with Royal, and tents with Rolling Stones records playing. Alec Baldwin narrates it all in a dry voice, like reading from a book about their lives.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Tenenbaumshttps://www.criterion.com/current/posts/214-the-royal-tenenbaums-faded-glories
Wes Anderson fills the screen with bright colors, perfect sets like the big Tenenbaum house, and slow-motion walks that make everything feel like a storybook. It is about parents who fail their kids, kids who never grow up, and everyone chasing old dreams while messing up the present.https://www.avclub.com/the-royal-tenenbaums-1798192840
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Tenenbaums
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0265666/news/
https://www.avclub.com/the-royal-tenenbaums-1798192840
https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/214-the-royal-tenenbaums-faded-glories
https://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/the-royal-tenenbaums
