Detour: The Royal Tenenbaums
Oh Tenenbaums! It’s a bittersweet symphony of family dysfunction as we take a Detour into the wonderful world of Wes Anderson.
Gene Hackman is the ne’er-do-well, absentee patriarch of the eccentric Tenenbaum family. Possibly ill — possibly faking — he seeks to reconnect with his three offspring: stock whiz Ben Stiller, a hyper-protective father since the death of his wife; playwright Gwyneth Paltrow, formerly prolific, now merely searching for inspiration; and tennis pro Luke Wilson, a one-time phenom undone by a broken heart. This is the story of the family’s sudden, unexpected reunion one recent Winter.
Starring an ensemble cast of amazing actors including Angelica Huston and Bill Murray, this whimsical story remains the director’s magnum opus; a film (and soundtrack) that has only gotten better with time. It’s a hilarious, touching, and brilliantly stylized study of melancholy and redemption.