If you love Wes Anderson (I Heart Huckabees, The Royal Tennenbaums, Rushmore), you’ll like this. It’s not as good as my favorites, The Royal Tennenbaums and Rushmore but that’s because it feels too similar to his other movies. In other words, it doesn’t feel that fresh and you’re left wondering if you saw this movie already.
It’s well acted, the story is interesting enough, and there are some great moments. Recommended, but a rental unless you really like Wes Anderson. Before you see it, be sure to catch Hotel Chevalier, the prequel to Darjeeling. It’s a short film available for free on iTunes. If nothing else, you get to see a naked Natalie Portman (she’s truly all bones… still cute, though).
Update: One other thought: I was a bit worried about the fact that it took place in India. Films can sometimes be insensitive without meaning to be, and I was just waiting for something. It never came. With the exception of one goofy scene, the movie managed to just “be” in India rather than making a spectacle (positive or negative) about it. Well done, actually. So, if you’re the type that thinks about that, don’t worry about this issue.
Update 2: Heidi points out that he didn’t do I Heart Huckabees… She’s right. Corrected above.
