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The Royal Tenenbaums

R Released Dec 14, 2001 1h 48m Comedy Drama TRAILER for List
81% Tomatometer 217 Reviews 89% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all geniuses. 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 Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.
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Critics Consensus

The Royal Tenenbaums is a delightful adult comedy with many quirks and a sense of poignancy. Many critics especially praised Hackman's performance.

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Critics Reviews

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Joshua Rothkopf In These Times If it sounds bittersweet, it is, but like the best family albums, Tenenbaums is split wide with open-heartedness, and equally generous with its triumphs and failures. Mar 16, 2020 Full Review Jack Mathews New York Daily News This comedy-drama about a dysfunctional family of eccentric geniuses is exactly the kind of movie America could use. It's funny, poignant, laced with irresistibly flawed characters and focuses on the power of love in a family. Rated: 3.5/4 Oct 1, 2014 Full Review Jeff Strickler Minneapolis Star Tribune The film manages to be both sarcastic and sentimental. As odd as the Tenenbaums are, the family remains bound by love. Oct 1, 2014 Full Review JD Duran InSession Film The Royal Tenenbaums isn't just Wes Anderson's best film, it's one of the best films of all-time. Rated: A+ Oct 25, 2023 Full Review Cory Woodroof For the Win (USA Today) The film that saw Wes Anderson absolutely perfect his style and his command over an ensemble, The Royal Tenenbaums is a major work. Jun 28, 2023 Full Review Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine A family who seemingly has it all, a large collection of parents, siblings, children all under the same roof, and yet every single one of them, even Royal, still feels like an outsider. Rated: 8/10 Sep 22, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dionisis T One of the director's quite good films and definitely a film that I liked for its spine and good flow! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/07/24 Full Review julie b Gorgeous from the first frame, soundtrack on point, and made me feel many different ways. Of all the feelings my fave was joy - like the sequence of “brewing some recklessness into the boys”. Very good blending of sad and funny in a way that isn’t heavy handed on either side.  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/23/24 Full Review Andy K One of Wes Anderson's best films. The entire cast is wonderful. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/06/24 Full Review Audience Member By far one of my favorites of Wes Anderson. The deadpan, almost matter-of-fact delivery of each line made moments where emotions were tense really stand through. Fantastic narrative, star-studded cast, witty humor and depth all work together to make this movie truly memorable. The Royal Tenenbaums, written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, as well as directed by Anderson, follows the lives of the eponymous Tenembaum family. The family consists of an adopted daughter (something mentioned repeatedly throughout the film and what turns out to be a major plot catalyst), two complicated sons, an abarrent mother, and an estranged father. Each character is struggling with something, from abandonment to addictions to depression to mourning, to, well, confusing feelings towards a certain family member. These struggles, though internal, are shown to affect the lives of those around the Tenembaums in more ways than one as the viewer a marriage fall apart, an attempted suicide, a psychotic break, a false medical emergency, and a bender. I'd absolutely recommend to anyone, but especially those who like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Whiplash, Beautiful Boy, and Little Miss Sunshine. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/31/24 Full Review Tom F Much of this has aged terribly, but in the most entertaining way. I find Wes Anderson’s films highly watchable, perhaps you won’t, that’s cool. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/07/24 Full Review Lisa M I fell asleep. It’s not horrible but quite boring. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 05/19/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary --- all geniuses. 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 Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.
Director
Wes Anderson
Producer
Barry Mendel, Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin
Screenwriter
Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Criterion Collection
Production Co
Touchstone Pictures, Mordecai Films, American Empirical Pictures
Rating
R (Nudity|Drug Content|Sexuality|Some Language)
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 14, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 23, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$52.4M
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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