The Darjeeling Limited

The Darjeeling Limited

What I love about this movie is the quirky lines and witty yet emotional scenes they have, making this movie hilarious to watch. It is a shame that this is actually my first time watching Wes Anderson’s work because I think this movie has that little something even though it is cliché when it comes to road trip in bonding people.

The Darjeeling Limited revolves around three brothers who have not met each other carrying 11 suitcases of their late father initialed J.L.W; Francis, Peter and Jack on a quest to bond themselves like how they used to be and to find their long-time-no-see mother.

I find it interesting that the brothers actually try to deal with their personal issue throughout the journey – Francis (played by Owen Wilson) who has a cracked face due to his failed attempt of suicide, Peter (played by Adrien Brody) who is having a baby with his wife Alice who he always thought he would divorce, and Jack (played by Jason Schwartzman who also co-written the story) is trying to get over a rough break up.

The story line actually started when the brothers tell secrets to each others only to have said in the end to not to tell the other brothers about it. Peter told Jack not to tell Francis, Jack told Peter not to tell Francis, Peter told Francis not to tell Jack, Jack told Francis not to tell Peter and Francis told Peter and Jack.

The story also includes a spiritual element such as in the part where the train they rode named Darjeeling Limited suddenly stops as it was lost – yes, the train actually got lost – Brandon, Francis’ assistant said “We haven’t located us yet,” due to being lost; Francis said it is a sign for them brothers.

Then there was the part where the tension comes yet I could not stop laughing when Peter threw the belt that Francis gave to him – which he asked to have back earlier – straight to Francis face because he had enough of Francis throughout the journey. Francis and Peter were fighting on the train leaving Jack to cool them down by spraying the pepper spray that he bought at the market earlier. Due to that incident the brothers were kicked out of The Darjeeling Limited.

There was a funny scene here when Jack asked the crying Rita, a stewardess on the train “Did you get sprayed too?” – or anything close to that – only to leave Rita answering, “No, I’m crying.” Another funny scene was be at the airport on their way back to America – I think – Peter had the funniest line or it could be the stupidest line saying, “I love the way this country smells, I’ll never forget it. It’s kind of spicy.” Talk about India being spicy! Hahaha…

The brothers then decided to do the peacock feather ritual after their mother told them to only come visit her in the next season. However, they did the ritual wrongly. It was then they decided to ditch the journey. Along the river they were walking on the next day, they say little boys trying to cross the river only to have the raft they took falling over them. Francis, Peter and Jack tried to save all those three little boys but unfortunately for Peter, he failed to save one of them. The part when the big brother of the dead boy holding his dead brother’s hand on their way back home touches me, I almost cry. Note the word almost okay! The brothers were then invited to the funeral of the little boy. In the three wheeled motorcycle or car or whatever it is that they only have in India, the brothers sat together and there was a flashback about a year before when their father died – this scene explained the part when Peter and Francis said Jack has it all clearly after reading the short story that Jack wrote – which he claimed the story to be fiction.

Last but not least, I love the songs in this movie. I will definitely going to find Anderson’s other movies during this cuti raya!