Didn’t see a past thread about this, so I thought I should post a warning. It’s meant to be another in the funny bad behavior genre like Something About Mary or As Good as it Gets.
Instead, it is painfully reminiscent of Joe vs. the Volcano, where every one seemed to be suffering from chronic depression.
Even Gwenneth Paltrow in a bathtub couldn’t help it.
What?!?!? I loved it! now i know what i want on my tombstone!!! I enjoyed the characters, and the site gags, especially the paintings in Owen Wilson’s apartment, and the dalmation mice!
(FYI there were at least three threads on the movie, but their souls were devoured by The Hacker.)
I agree completely yojimboguy, the movie sucked ass. Some of the site gags were worth a chuckle, but the rest of it felt like two and some-odd hours of watching manic depressive grandmothers play canasta.
To quote Roget Ebert (who was talking about an entirely different movie), “I hated, hated, hated, hated, hated this movie.”
Joe Vs. The Valcano?
I like both movies
Where in the world did you get the idea that this was supposed to be a movie from the “funny bad behavior genre”? To even mention Something About Mary in the same breath as TRT is a mortal sin! 
I am a HUGE Wes Anderson fan, and I adored this movie. it was slow, and thoughtful, and laden with subtext. Just a beautiful and quirky character study. WONDERFUL! Do you hear me? WONDERFUL, I say!
And if you think any girl in a bathtub could save a movie, then perhaps TRT is not the sort of movie you should even spend money on. Rawr.
And friedo? Grammas playing canasta RAWK 
Royal Tenenbaums was the 2nd best film of the year. The best being Memento.
You want to talk sucky films? Try Moulin Rougue and Mullholland Drive!
De gustibus non est disputandum.
I loved The Royal Tenenbaums, but I’ll readily concede it isn’t designed for everybody, and that the commercials sold it as a different kind of movie than it is. If you thought it was supposed to be like As Good As It Gets, that’s part of the problem. Tenenbaums isn’t even in the same time zone, let alone the same subgenre. I’ll have a full-length analysis on my website in the next week or so that talks about the film’s intentions and execution; maybe that’ll help clarify what the movie was supposed to be doing.
Cervaise, I’ll be looking forward to seeing that review up.
IMO, the pleasure in seeing The Royal Tenenbaums was all about the tension between the dark, dark humor and the dark, dark tragedy. ‘Oh geez, he slit his wrists – this hospital waiting room scene is incredibly absurd – should I laugh or cry? Laugh or cry??’
I went to see it last night. I liked it a lot, I knew I would, although I liked Rushmore… more.
Was the Ben Stiller connection what made you link it with There’s Something About Mary? I can see that, since Ben Stiller plays Ben Stiller in every movie he’s in (Drew Barrymore dragged down Donnie Darko in this respect), but really that’s about all they have in common.
And I liked Joe vs the Volcano! Should have been made in the 30’s though.
Oh yes, Sapphire Bullet, many people think Jude Law in a bathtub is all that saved The Talented Mr. Ripley.
-fh
I was very depressed on the day I decided to go see this film by myself.
Half way through it, I wanted to walk out. Owen Wilson’s attempted suicide scene made me cry. The last scene had me smiling. At times I thought every camera angle was trite, at others I was marvelling at the movement thereof. Immediately upon leaving the theatre I felt proud to have been there. Half way home I was missing my eight bucks.
Bottom line – I came out of the movie knowing for a fact that it was either the biggest piece of shit ever comitted to celluloid, or the most fabulous work of art ever photographed.
I still can’t figure out which one.
Glad I could help out with the fence sitting.
I see it as more like “As Good as It Gets, the Next Generation” – as if Nicholson and Hunt got married, and we’re looking at their family 20 years later.
As far as SAM goes, it’s a weaker link – Royal is like all the men after Mary – say or do ANYTHING to get her.
Okay, not to get too nitpicky, but Luke Wilson’s character attempts suicide.
And since I’m here, I might as well just say that I thought this movie was incredible. There are few other movies with such interesting and complex characters, and the play between the dark humor and the tragedy was brilliant. The (terrific) outlandishness of the sets and costumes really enhanced how true the situations and characters felt. It was like real life on acid. Great.
Twas a Dramedy… my fav. types of movie
Ace Ventura… too silly
Saving Private Ryan… TOO much
Truman Show, As Good as it Gets, Royal Tenenbaums, TV’s Crubs, just right… not TOO depressing, Not too wacky with no story, just right
Ah, those Wilsons all look alike anyway.
LOL, Jack, I definately agree.
Yeah, I can never tell Matthew and Gunner apart either.
Why don’t Owen and Luke play Bo and Luke Duke in a Dukes of Hazzard movie? With Ben Stiller as Cooter, Jerry Stiller as Uncle Jessie, and Danny DeVito as Boss Hogg!
Yeah! And a computer generated Daisy Duke and instead of the General Lee they can use K.I.T.T. from NightRider … and Oliver Stone could direct, if the damn Feds will stop bugging him, that is … and they could set in in the south pacific … and there could be an atomic bomb about to go off blowing up the world’s supply of Captain Crunch Crunchberry Cereal … and James Bond could fight Batman on top of the Chrysler building … there could be explosions and firetrucks and belly dancers and ancient Scottish warriors and a magic ring and a giant maneating panda bear voiced by James Earl Jones and … and …
Sorry.
Well, “Rushmore” (which made virtually every critics ten best list) stank to high heaven, and so did “The Royal Tenebaums.”
The moral: avoid any and all future films from this dude like the plague.