An Early Wes Anderson Dramedy Still Hailed by Reddit Is Easily His Best

Being recognized as one of the best directors of the 21st century, Wes Anderson inscribed his name in movie history by his distinctive visual and narrative styles. His eccentric movies managed to attract millions of amazed viewers all around the world.

However, if you’re a fan of The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) or Isle of Dogs (2018), you may never have seen Anderson’s earlier works, but they’re still of great interest for every cinema lover. The 2001 comedy-drama is no exception.

The movie’s plot revolves around a troublesome father of three gifted children, whom he leaves in their adolescent years. Despite their outstanding success in childhood, when the ingenious kids grow up, they end up facing more and more failures.

However, at the very moment of decay the father suddenly shows up, falsely claiming to be terminally ill. Therefore, it’s high time for the whole family to reunite and say goodbye to their dad, whom they claim to be guilty for their failed adulthood.

This synopsis offers a bunch of unforgettable characters and implies exploration of themes that are typical of Anderson’s filmography. It’ll speculate on dysfunctional families, loss of innocence and greatness and, finally, people’s search for redemption.

Here we see the roots of the director’s notorious style, with its bright colors, detailed sets and, of course, visual allusions hidden in the background. Besides, it presents Anderson’s ironic storytelling that contains elements of absurdism and even magic.

However, in this flick these sophisticated techniques don’t interfere with the whole story being wholesome and touching, while in the case of 2021’s The French Dispatch and 2023’s Asteroid City the visuals obviously prevail over the problematic plots.

The assembled cast seems like a dream, as it stars Danny Glover, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller and the Wilson brothers, Luke and Owen.

Titled The Royal Tenenbaums, it was a back-then commercial and critical success that gets better with every rewatch and totally deserves much more hype nowadays.

“The quality of the actors. The sets, both inside and outside. The clothes, the makeup, the cars on the streets. And the music. Beautiful, haunting even, some of it. All of it is perfect,” says Redditor @MrsLadyZedd.

Check out Anderson’s hidden gem, as The Royal Tenenbaums is available on Prime and Hulu .