Dan Mclellan

'TENENBAUMS' IS A TREAT

DAN MCLELLAN

Originally published Friday, January 18, 2002

There is moment in "The Royal Tenenbaums" when a terrible act of violence is inflicted upon a character. The audience lets out a collective gasp. Cut to Ben Stiller, Gene Hackman and Bill Murray doing something amusing. Left without resolution to this character's predicament, the audience either laughs uncomfortably or remains silent. Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson's comedy/drama/fantasy revels in these genre-twisting moments.

The creators of "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore" have grown up and crafted a truly adult comic tragedy that can be enjoyed by anyone. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) claims to be dying of stomach cancer and wants to make peace with the wife he abandoned (Angelica Huston) and the children he traumatized (Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Luke Wilson.)

Royal Tenenbaum is a monster of theatrical proportions. His daughter, Margot, is introduced as "my adopted daughter"; Royal's words to his grandchildren about their mother's death are "I'm sorry for your loss, your mother was a terribly attractive woman"; and finally, he consistently throws subtle racial slurs toward Henry (Danny Glover), his ex-wife's fiance.

Royal Tenenbaum is your protagonist. He is his family's ruin and its savior. Hackman gives the performance of a lifetime as Royal. Hackman's unwillingness to sugarcoat his character with sentimentality makes Royal all the more pathetic. He is a man who sort of wants to be a better person. He grows throughout the film but only a little. He's not a kindly saint by the end of the picture, just a slightly sweeter monster.

Owen Wilson also pops up in a memorable supporting role as Eli Cash, the greatest Tenenbaum who ever wasn't. His desire to be one of the family is his motivation in life. His self-destruction could be a part of his Tenenbaum fetish.

Bill Murray is unmemorable but good in a small part as Raleigh St. Clair, a neurologist with a slightly off-kilter, colorblind patient with acute hearing. His role is so abbreviated that, with his unusual beard, he becomes invisible as Bill Murray and just becomes St. Clair.

Anderson and Wilson have the promise of becoming the next great American filmmaking duo. Their mastery of the written word had been proven in "Rushmore," but in "Tenenbaums" Anderson's visual capabilities are let loose. The movie, set in a fantasy version of New York, is a visual tour de force. Its bright, sunny colors and costumes clash brilliantly with the dour settings and story. Pink and other pastels fill the frame with gorgeous clarity.

Finally, the music is superb, strange and silly. Mark Mothersbaugh, the composer for "Rugrats" and "Rushmore," delivers a regal set of themes as if they were designed for toddlers. And Anderson's music choices delighted me with their eccentricity.

Just one minor complaint. The quirkiness of the movie is great and supplies some of the greatest laughs, but some of the quirks seem inserted because the audience expects it from Anderson and Wilson. Paltrow has a wooden finger; Stiller always wears a red sweat suit. The movie is great, guys, lay off the oddities next time. Other than that, "Tenenbaums" is a must-see.

Daniel McLellan is a freshman at Olympia High School.

'The Royal Tenenbaums'

* * * 1/2

- Rating: R.

- Playing: Lacey 8 Cinemas and Yelm Cinemas.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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