Alec Baldwin, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller

Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children--Chas, Richie, and Margot--they were a family of geniuses and then they separated. Chas started buying real estate in his early teens and seeme...( read more  read more... )d to have had a preternatural understanding of international finance. Margot was a playwright and received a Braverman grant of fifty thousand dollars in the ninth grade. Richie was a junior champion tennis player and won the U.S. Nationals three years in a row. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father's fault. The tale follows the family's sudden and unexpected reunion one recent winter.

Flixster Users

87% liked it

129,022 ratings

Critics

79% liked it

169 critics

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Wes Anderson

Release Date: December 14, 2001

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DVD Release Date: July 9, 2002

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Stats: 16,049 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (16,049)


  • September 28, 2009
    Such an odd movie, but I enjoyed it. Great cast and acting. It was very enjoyable.
  • September 18, 2009
    Another example of Wes Andersons really unique and odd sense of humor. A great cast, with Gene Hackman probably giving the funniest performance of his life creating one of the most unique characters of film history, and wonderfully strange way of storytelling make this enjoyable,...( read more) funny, sad and sweet for the entire running time. That being said, some people might not really get it, especially if they expect the regular Ben Stiller / Owen Wilson humor. The end clearly shows that the movie's heart is at the right spot, though.
  • September 2, 2009
    Gene Hackman really steals the show in this great film. It's probably Anderson's weakest film to date as it does meander towards the end, but its still brilliant. Anderson knows how to get the best out of his cast!
  • March 9, 2009
    a brilliant and well thought out character study. the films only real flaw is its extreme un-believability, but the characters are well thought out and brilliantly acted by every single cast member. the quirks and nuances typical of a wes anderson film work here at every turn m...( read more)aking this one of the most interesting and suprisingly thoughtful films ever made.
  • December 29, 2008
    I like the performances and some of the off kilter humor, but I think Anderson is a bit over estimated.
  • October 30, 2009
    Wes Anderson has a unique (but refreshing) way of telling a story, all the characters are rich and unforgettable, even the support cast shine
  • October 28, 2009
    Wes Anderson never fails to entertain and I think this is one of his best. The quirky, eccentric characters are highly enjoyable.
  • October 27, 2009
    It's like the best parts of John Irving and J.D. Salinger all blended together and put on film.
  • October 25, 2009
    caterse total vendo esse filme. os personagens excêntricos elevam o nível dessa identificação do bizarro pela via dos fatos comuns. tão lindo.
  • October 22, 2009
    Always love Wes Anderson's Stylization of his films.
    The script is amazing and Luke Wilson is superb.
    Gene Hackman gives a great and effortlessly artful perfomance.

Critic Reviews


June 17, 2002
Edward Havens, FilmJerk.com

A film you do not want to miss full review

March 22, 2002
David Edelstein, Slate

Apart from Hackman, the actors look more trapped by Anderson's rigid framing, color scheme, and enforced deadpan. full review

December 21, 2001
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

A rich mixture of sadness, comfort and joy. full review

December 21, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

It's proof that Anderson and his writing partner, the actor Owen Wilson, have a gift of cockeyed genius. full review

December 18, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

That it works is due to director Wes Anderson, who has made something eccentric and hilarious that can suddenly -- or maybe not for hours or even days later -- choke you up with emotion. full review

December 14, 2001
Claudia Puig, USA Today

The film grows on you, but more substance and less calculated quirks would have been a royal treat. full review

December 14, 2001
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Rushmore director Wes Anderson is more interested in his own precocity than he is in his characters. full review

October 22, 2001
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

At once endearing and unbearably show-offy, it seems to be the product of a sensibility formed by age-inappropriate reading: a childhood spent sneaking into the grown-up fiction section of the library. full review

View more The Royal Tenenbaums reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • stephaybabe
    January 24, 2008
    i like owen wilson and ben stiller but this mvoie was comepletely rubbish it may loook but is aint good dont buy it unless your a boring person

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The Royal Tenenbaums Trivia


  • Guess the tagline!: "Family isn't a word. It's a sentence."  Answer »
  • What Movie had the mistake of this: A rolling stone album playing in the background, while the songs "she smiled sweetly" and "ruby tuesday' played in consecutive order (it is clear no songs are skipped) even though no Stones album has ever had the songs in that order?  Answer »
  • Who plays Raleigh St. Clair in 'The Royal Tenenbaums'?  Answer »
  • Which actor was not in the movie The Royal Tenenbaums?  Answer »

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