The Darjeeling Limited: A Must Watch review
Devang Ghia highly recommends Wes Anderson's 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited
This is the first Wes Anderson film I have seen, and I am happy to report that it makes me want to see other films made by him. He has a distinctive style; I wonder if I can call it his ‘˜style', considering this is his only film I have seen so far. But by whatever name, it is decidedly different. The camera points, nay, stares at the actors, and the actors stare back. It moves from one point to another and by the time it reaches there, the actor has made it there too.
Not too much to report on the story front. Three brothers reunite after almost a year in a cross country trip across what mostly seems like northern India in the eponymous train. Only the eldest, Owen Wilson seems to be having some sort of agenda in his mind. The others, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman are half-reluctant tag-alongs.
The film rambles on so smoothly, you never really feel the absence of an outline of a plot. Ample time has been devoted to character development. And nothing works for a film more than fully developed characters with whom you become familiar, but are not able to predict. There is the control freak, Wilson who seems to be taking on the role of playing father to his two brothers after their father's death, a trait which Brody resents. He on the other hand considers himself to the de facto heir to their father's personal effects, a trait which Wilson resents. Then there is Schwartzman, who may be in India but he discreetly spies on his girlfriend's answering machine. Quirky all, but not caricaturish.
Now that I have put my thoughts in black and white, and devoted two entire paragraphs on the ‘˜character development' bit, I think that was the plot itself. Which is what is compelling me to talk so much about it.
The good thing is that almost the entire film has been shot on location in India. A studio would not have looked so good. Foreigners have been played by foreigners and Indians by Indians (watch out for Irfaan Khan in a cameo). What I find amusing is that after so many years, the western perception about India has not altered. Yes, we are still a land of snakes, elephants and turbans for them. Which is probably why so many Indians in crowd scenes are Sardars. Even snakes and elephants feature prominently throughout, either in their live versions or as motifs. Surely while shooting in India, the makers must have realized that this is no longer the case. But since this film is primarily meant for a Western audience, pandering to their tastes becomes essential. Anything otherwise might have come as a culture shock. Ha ha.
But this is a hardly a grouse and moreover, it can only come from an Indian. It does not make the film any less entertaining. I suggest you check it out for yourself.
[rating:3.5]
