The Royal Tenenbaums

Play trailer

1:54

The Royal Tenenbaums

R

Released Dec 14, 2001

1h 48m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

216 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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

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.

Read Critics Reviews

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

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

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Underneath the film’s ornate but terse facade might be a churning tangle of backstories barely hinted at.

Rated: A+

Sep 17, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Faiz D

Owen Wilson & Wes Anderson Rock! The Royal Tenenbaums is a beautifully melodramatic nostalgia that delivers laughs, cries, and pure joy. A great movie, but not for everyone.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Sergio A

This film is flawless in its character development, performances, and casting choices. Wes Anderson should consider returning to a more focused approach with fewer actors and real locations. While the tragicomedy is evident, it’s a pleasure to watch the characters and their stories unfold so seamlessly. Undoubtedly, Anderson’s best film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/03/25

Full Review

thiago s

Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, a história é fraca, os personagens sao fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/25/25

Full Review

Rich S

On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd have to give The Royal Tenenbaums an Orange. And while I really like this movie, I do have to continually question the choices in casting which leave us with just two female characters. All these other throwaway characters -- Bill Murray, Danny Glover, Luke Wilson, the two grandsons -- could have been anybody. Why did they all have to be men? And of all the characters, why is Gwyneth Paltrow's the most despised? Anjelica Huston could have had a lesbian lover, but then we would have had to replace the only man of color. Oh, the tangled webs we weave when we practice our art in man-powered Hollywood.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

Full Review

Jon G

An enigmatic movie that is superbly acted, especially Gene Hackman.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/08/25

Full Review

William R. P

I kept waiting for a reason to care about any of the characters and why everyone hates Gwyneth Paltrow

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/02/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Wes Anderson

Director

Gene Hackman

Royal Tenenbaum

Anjelica Huston

Etheline Tenenbaum

Ben Stiller

Chas Tenenbaum

Gwyneth Paltrow

Margot Tenenbaum

Luke Wilson

Richie Tenenbaum

The Darjeeling Limited

69%

78%

The Darjeeling Limited

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Darjeeling Limited

The Grand Budapest Hotel

92%

87%

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Grand Budapest Hotel

Nothing to Lose

31%

68%

Nothing to Lose

Watchlist

About Schmidt

86%

74%

About Schmidt

Watchlist

Play It to the Bone

11%

26%

Play It to the Bone

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The Royal Tenenbaums at 20: How Wes Anderson’s Big Swing Made Him a Household Name

Rank All of Wes Anderson’s Movies

Olivia Munn’s Five Favorite Films

Amy Schumer's Five Favorite Films

0:50

The Royal Tenenbaums: Trailer 1

1:54

View more videos

View more photos

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, American Empirical Pictures, Mordecai Films
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)

Most Popular at Home Now