If you want a movie filled with cheap laughs,silly slapstick humor, or fart jokes, don't watch this movie! It's a sophisticated comedy/drama that makes me teary even after watching it dozens of times. The acting is spot on, the soundtrack is superb, and Wes Anderson's directing has never been so flawless. This is my favorite movie and it deserves to be worshiped.

Quirky, surprising and off-beat... sounds like a Wes Anderson film, right?... Packed with some solid stars (both comedic and straight-laced), 'The Royal Tenenbaums' is a delightful and much slanted look at the coessential dysfunctional family that could be from Anywhere, USA. Well, actually it could be from anywhere in the galaxy as you may not come across a more strange slew of characters in one place anywhere on God's green earth. For openers, Gene Hackman plays a hysterical deadbeat dad who had been alienated by the rest of his bizarre family for ignorance to them and vulgarity to others which can include even us the audience. Yet at the same time the viewer will be sympathetic to him and his mischievous routine and rebellious nature given his sly warmheartedness and charm. The trio of the children's life stories (wild and wholly tales portrayed in retrospect and real-time by Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow & Luke Wilson) surround this rude and complex father shortcomings in spectacular fashion while combative yet dignified mom played by Angelica Houston is a steady presence amongst the chaos. Owen Wilson and Bill Murray round out the supporting cast for this fun-filled comedy. It's a good idea to screen early Anderson efforts like Rushmore and/or Bottle Rocket to prep for the amount of quirkiness thrown at you in this romp but designed to even challenge the zaniest of viewers on its own.… Expand

Perfect. This movie is a perfect example of Wes Anderson's vision coming to life completely through absolute control and superb acting. "You wanna talk some jive?"

Simply delightful! i enjoyed every minute of this splendid film and the splendid acting in it. one of the funniest and best films ive ever seen

Hipster sensibility wears a bit, but it's consistently funny.

This movie snuck by me and i never knew it was in theaters, but i watched it on comedy central and it was great.

How the hell is the user rating on this so low. This movie is extraordinarily funny and smart. Oh I see why now.

An astounding film, one of my top 5 of all time! To those who say they dislike it because actors arn't type cast...i have to ask, huh? How can you dislike a film for not conforming to the usual? The casting is EXCELENT, esspecially in Hackman's case, but also Luke Wilson and whoever played Pagoda. This is the way films should be made. Dont expect the usual Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson esc comedy, because you wont find it here. That in no way makes it a bad film because the press misinformed people about it's true genre. Life Aquatic is the same, its subtle humor, the result of performances with depth and a director unbelievably good considering his relative inexperience. Wes Anderson is becoming a rule onto himself, creating a portfolio of work that is pushed under the title "Comedy", but is really just an Anderson movie. Like life itself, this film has drama and comedy in equal measure and potency. Some may find that boring, I find it beautiful film making. Take your pick.… Expand

This is my favorite movie of all time simply because it has the best of both worlds. its an intelligent comedy with good drama and good character study it tells you why these characters are they way they are and u can acctually feel for them and can acctually see a family being like that. I think wes anderson is one of the greatest director/screen writters ever. great writting great characters an great camera angles in all of his films i havent seen one i havent seen a single film I havent LOVED that wes anderson has created and you poeple are stupid who say you only like this film because you want to feel intelligent you're a moron.… Expand

If you gave this a zero... then you don't understand wes anderson. His humor is in the characters and it takes a few times of watching to fully apreciate it sometimes.

One of my favorite movies ever made -- hilarious, touching, weird, and beautiful, with great visuals, fantastic music, snappy writing, and that ephemeral otherness that is the hallmark of true art. I sometimes wish I'd never seen it so I could see it again for the first time.

Very funny and touching. It is funnier than sex comedies which have only 6-7 big laughs. This has very consistent small but smart laughs.

This is the worst film I have ever seen in my life. Only White Noise and The Weather Man come close to as bad as this.

I love this movie. wes anderson is a genious. he gives such specific details about all his characters, and eventually all of those details play such an important part in making this movie real and good. the humor in it is very dry, but its hilarious. gene hackman and anjelica houston were so good in their roles. watch it and if you loved it as much as i did, check out rushmore and bottle rocket.

(9.5) It's just good. I love comedy that talks up to its audience. We now know the result of throwing the disparate talents of vets like Hackman, Huston, Glover, and Murray together with young guns the likes of Stiller, the Wilson Brothers, and Platrow: the playing field gets raised a notch or two.

Not as good as "rushmore" or "bottlerocket" but close.

With all the hype this movie received I expected to be entertained. Instead, I saw a movie with characters that I felt nothing for and actors who seemed to be just collecting a paycheck. It is too bad to be believed. If you have insomnia - then this movie is your cure. To say that it was bad is an understatement.

Without question the best movie of the year. Both hilarious and poignant at once, easily Wes Anderson's best movie to date.

Less than zero. It was a major struggle for me to sit through the 1st half hour. Who can relate to any of these characters? I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. I have only walked out of the theater twice in my life - this would have been the third time if I hadn't rented this piece of tripe.To say that watching this movie is tedious is a horrible understatement. For people who actually said they liked it?-what drugs are you on?!!!… Expand

How can people not find this movie funny if the have any sense of humour at all? This should have won Best Picture. Hilarious.

If you wait for something funny in this movie, you'll still be in your seat well after the closing credits. Definitely the most disappointing movie I've seen in years.

The ultimate cast of too many quirky, highly neurotic characters but masterfully directed to provide some sophisticated chuckles. Gene Hackman as the patriach gives a tour de force performance worth the price of admission alone. Definate not for folks who loved the broad humor of, i.e. "The Trouble With Mary."

Quirky + Different + Dysfunctional = Good....Unfortunately, not always. This movie tries and tries, but it seems to fall short. Hackman is terrific and the rest of the cast is good..but the script seems shallow and contrived.

This movie has everything that is missing from most Hollywood productions, comedy isn't based on pies and sex and subtlety, which must be a British word or something because it's been erased from the mind of American filmmakers.

30 minutes of expository claptrap is substituted for actual character development at the beginning of the movie. After that it goes downhill. It's trying to be a character study with no characters worth studying.

There's a band named Vanilla Train wreck that made an album called "Mordecai" (also the name of Luke Wilson's bird), which made me wonder if Wes Anderson was predicting the outcome of Cameron Crowe's movie. "The Royal Tennenbaums", to our good fortune, is decidedly not a train wreck. It is the best film of 2001.

Anyone who claims to have the level of intelligence to recognize/understand the symbolism and appreciate its artistic qualities, however gives it a low score, must inevitably be lying. To be so perceptive and full of wisdom, yet abhor something of intellectual superiority to most other droll theater fodder seems highly dubious. If your opinion of the movie is solely based on your inaptitude, don't even bother cluttering up the review page.… Expand

Worst movie I've ever seen! What a waste of talent. The so called CRITICS say John Q sucked but in reality, this movie was the crappy of the two!!!!

Beautiful.

Annoying, neurotic characters. Inane dialogue. Basically a 2 hour smoking commercial.

This is a great movie. Sorry todd g, I didn't "pretend" to find humor in this film. It is a rare accomplishment in modern movies; funny and touching, without any sap. Maybe todd g should stick to contrived trite like "Kung Pow: Enter the Fist."

Those who find humor in this film, pretend to find humor so they too can be intellectual.

A wonderful world to be stuck in for a couple of hours. Very funny, great characters and spotted mice. What's not the love?

Nigh unto perfect. Wonderfully hilarious, beautifully sad. Gene Hackman deserved another Oscar nom, especially over competition like Denzel Washington.

Wes Anderson is a guy who really understands life. He genuinely gets how desperately sad, lonely, pathetic and ludicrous it is. And Wes Anderson is a guy who really gets film. From his intentionally mannered squared framings and frequent intertitles to the device of a narrator telling a story, he distances the audience just enough to make great tragedies palatable, funny and all the more meaningful. He wrings truth from every exchange, mocks the characters mercilessly and treats them all with the utmost tenderness - simultaneously, more often than not. And while Rushmore felt like a small core of sadness burning under a gay glow of ludicrousness, trt seems to be the converse - a tremendously sad willow decorated but not overcome with sparkling ornaments of mirth. It is none the worse for it. Tremendous performances. the cast is universally great, underplaying everything but in so doing, giving us more in a look than several pages of words. It is heartbreaking, funny and odd and is a worthy follow up to Rushmore. A grand achievement. … Expand

Glorious. Funny, sad, with perfect performances and a magnificent soundtrack.

Simply brilliant!

Wow this movie was bad, boring and deceptively passed off as a comedy. Which it is not. It's almost sad to watch this dysfunctional family. I noticed some here (who rate this movie high) claim others (who rated it low) don't understand it. Well liking or disliking a movie is clearly personal taste and I doubt the people that gave it low marks did so because they didn't understand it. It's not that hard to follow. I think the real question is "Is it interesting enough to follow." Not for me. I personally like Anderson's work and loved "Rushmore." This movie tells an inside joke that makes you look for the punchline. Problem is the characters are so out of character that most people don't want to bother with the deeper understanding of this film. I personally don't like to search for humor or strain myself to identify with characters such as these in this film. I was expecting a little bit more from these characters and would have rather had unknown actors play the part. This movie was only good for Gene Hackman. The rest in this film should stick with what they do best. Avoid this movie if you?re expecting typical roles from these actors. BottomLine : It is a complex and deep movie that hides it's meaning and humor so far below that most won't make care to make the journey. … Expand

This movie is truly funny. This movie has intelligent comical hidden jokes. The best part is that this film is so brillant because they dont shove the laughs in your face like any other movie that in order to be funny they have to show a stupid person smoking Marijuana or having sex.

I watched this movie because it had received excellent reviews and also the fact that it featured Ben Stiller. (I had watched the truly superb "Flirting With Disaster" just the week before) . The Royal Tennenbaums was intellectually pretentious and only mildly funny.

This was the worst rubbisch I have ever seen on the movie screen. I didn't get what the interesting thing was in the plot... It didn't make any sense. It was as exciting as watching paint dry.

One of the best movies I've ever seen. Funny and tragic all at once.

This is one of those films where people feel compelled to say they liked only because it's so incredibly clever and profoundly unique. Yet, the truth of the matter is that the film's tongue-in-cheek cleverness overshadows any attempt to make us connect with the Tenenbaums. Hackman's performance is by the far the best. He's the only cast member who opted to make us enjoy his character and therefore care enough to watch until the end of the movie. Paltrow's attempt to seem eccentric comes across as somnambulic and uninteresting, the interaction between the Wilson brothers is strange and Stiller is miscast as he is completely defanged. Huston phoned in her underwritten part. For those who watched it - didn't you find it hard to care about the characters? Didn't you find them completely unbelievable as a unit? What was Eli's purpose in the film? What was Bill Murray's purpose in the film? His presence was unnecessary and distracting. What's disappointing is that I'm a huge Wes Anderson fan and I think that he "overthought" this movie because of the high star wattage this movie contained.… Expand

Not one of the best films ive seen but pretty good effort. a GREAT cast. it gives u a good laugh.

I can describe this movie in two words: IT SUCKED!

The best.

Silly and pretentious. The actors are excellent, but they have nothing to work with here. The characters are flat and moody and there is no real substance here. The family genius is reported, not shown, let alone proved. Royal's redemption is weak and unconvincing and the kids are transparent and dysfunctional and unsympathetic. No moral choices, no lessons learned, no point, no story. Very weak despite all the talent that apparently went into it. A quirky puzzle. I wanted more.… Expand

Better than "Rushmore," because here Anderson has managed to achieve real emotion without resorting to absurdity or the easy-out of manipulating the audience. A stylish triumph.

The Royal Tenenbaums is a great movie. There are great performances and the screenplay is fantastic. Also, the soundtrack is perfect. A different movie, and I appreciate that in these times.

How can a cast this good be in a movie this bad??

This movie is not only the best movie in the universe, but it's so great, that it shouldn't even be limited to 'just a movie'. Therefore, it is the greatest peice of art in the entire universe. Futhermore, there was not a bad actor, or excess character. Each part was played perfectly for an all together off beat comedy/drama. I have only seen the movie twice now, but both times I got something else out of it. There is so much symbolism and hidden attributes in this beautifully mastered script, that I don't think anyone could count them all. If you in anyway stand against this movie, you should be shot and shot into space, because your carcus does not even belong on the same planet, as the sophisticated ones who can enjoy a magnificent peice of art. Thank you Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson, and yes even you Luke.… Expand

People who vote higher than a 7 are pseudointellectual pedants who pretend to see brilliance where only dullness exists. Cut the pompous crap! The movie had its moments, and Gene Hackman had some truly funny lines, but there was too much here that was merely mundane.

Melds the goofball humour of BOTTLE ROCKET with the narrative style of RUSHMORE, creating a movie that's not quite up to par with either of Anderson's earlier efforts. Still, it has enough charm and orginality to keep you entertained throughout.

Heartflet, hilarious, and beautiful. Wes Anderson has achieved a kind of film that not many directors can.

It's funny how diverse the ratings are for this film. It seems that many of you did not understand the comedy behind this film. It was as subtle as can be but that?s what made this film so great. Anderson did an excellent job getting the ideas across to the audience. It is just unfortunate that many of the viewers weren't able to see it.

There's no accounting for taste ... or lack of it! Why any critic would deceive the public by giving this piece of fluff a high rating is beyond me. This film is not remotely entertaining or interesting. It's a dull movie about dull people that are not realistic or remotely believable.

Worst film ever! Too bad we can not use negative numbers. I did not laugh out loud once.

Subtle humor isn't everyone's cup of tea and, as evidenced by the rest of the ratings, most people will either love this movie or hate it. You may have to be a thinking adult to enjoy the characters in this film and how many of us can lay claim to those characteristics? It is refreshing to see some of these actors out of their typical roles and pity for those who complain when Gwyneth Paltrow isn't prissy and Bill Murray isn't wacky. That's why they're ACTORS, people. What a great movie. The more I watch it, the better it gets.… Expand

This is a sad example of a young director listening to his press. This movie is narrated, yet it reads like a weak John Irving novel. This movie is over writen, over sensual, and over produced.

I have not laughed out loud at a movie for a year until this film.

Possibly the most boring uninteresting movie I have ever seen. Absolutely no redeeming values whatsoever. Boring!!!!!

Okay so some here say this movie is a masterpiece. A select few think it was a stinker. Well put me down for the later... I understood it and it's deep symbolism...blah blah blah ... but that alone doesn't make it enjoyable. Comedy it is not. Funny? Not really. Interesting? Not at all. This is one of those movies where the actor/esses try and step out of their norm and do something to showcase how well versed they are. It's bad casting. Great actors/esses in a bad story. (Except for Hackman who does a great job.) This reminds me of when actors like Jim Carrey try to play a sweet, caring, sensitive person....I just don't buy it. I say stick with what you do best. Why would anyone look at Ben Stiller and want to think of this person as an angry calculating person or the charming Wilson playing a self-absorbed drug addict? This is as ridiculous as Stallone playing a country singer! Avoid this film if your expecting the big names here to do any justice. Aside from Hackman this is a complete waste of talent.… Expand

I don't understand how anybody could have not liked this movie? I don't have to relate to characters t be entertained, i thought it was very funny, and those who didn't see the humor really need to re-evaluate what they think is funny... morons.

The movie has too many working characters. If you broke it up into several shorter pieces, one for Stiller and Hackman, one for Paltrow and the Wilsons, one for Huston, Glover and Hackman, and tied em all together a la Pulp Fiction, it would be tremendous. But there is way too much going on in way too short a film for it to work well enough to be what Anderson wanted, and probably deserved. And thankfully, Stiller only had one real Meet The Parents/Mary moment, after all the worthwhile storytelling was done.… Expand

I found this film a joy to watch, encapsulating the absurdity of the human condition and our ability to triumph despite our vulnerabilities. It was genuinely moving and funny without containing Hollywood's usual mixture of sentimentalility or dogmatic righteousness. It was by no means a classic but as a one-off experience there aren't many films out there which leave you feeling so optimistic about life, love and relationships. … Expand

It is just too bad we are unable to give a negative rating. I find it difficult to believe that the actors accepted their roles let alone permitted this whatever it is movie to be shown to the public. To say that it was terrible is a compliment as Webster would have to invent a new word for this drek.

Very Weird, but a very good movie with great acting. It's hard to tell if its a drama or a comedy, but it is brillant. If your looking for a light movie, stay away.

Giorgio you are on the movie. Possibly the worst movie ever made. The characters are pathetic and unsympathetic. What a waste of talent.

The movie left me cold. Anderson spent too much time on the dressing and forgot about the turkey. It was full of nicely dressed quirky characters with no depth. The result was a boring film that was only mildly amusing. And I loved "Bottle Rocket" and "Rushmore."

Gene Hackman delivers one of the strongest performances of his career in this unique comedy-drama. The rest of the cast lifts the material, which is pretty solid but suffered from some skimpy characterazation.

A perfect movie for a crazy like me, I feel like I've known Wes and Owen in a former life. Kumar is the best!

I've seen the film 4 times. Without question the most entertaining and insightful film of the year. It's also one of the best films ever made about family dysfunction. Why, oh why, do so many people not understand this film?

One of the best movies EVER! Everyone should see this movie.

Fire all the movie reviewers. This is movie is an insult to humans.

This film is one of the most entertaining, thought-provoking, and enjoyable movies to be released in years. Fantastic directing, superb acting, and enough small studyable details to make The Royal Tenenbaums a cult classic for years to come.

Hackman should have been nominated for best actor.

Clever. While the large cast stops the characters from becoming as endearing as those in Rushmore, the film is a treat never-the-less for Wes Anderson's wacky sensibilities and clever camera work.

The most amazing piece of film i have ever seen, simply brilliant. cinematic genius!

The soundtrack was awesome! I think this movie was absolutely brillaint! It was poised, sophisticated, and interesting. It caught my attention through the entire movie! I think it was genius!

People who vote lower than a 7 aren't intelligent enough to understand the brilliance of Wes Anderson's directing, Owen Wilson and Anderson's writing, and the acting of the cast.

Why do people who enjoyed the movie see fit to look down upon those who didn't? Saying anyone who gives the movie a score of under 7 is unintelligent is the equivalent of saying that anyone who gave the movie over a 3 is a pseudo intellectual with no taste in movies and no understanding of plot or character development. About the movie though ... The plot lot is weak and unengaging. The characters are parodies of real people, and unfunny parodies at that, with paper thin relationships with one another. Beyond an interesting cast, that is wasted in this movie, and some interesting scene set-up, and music, this movie doesn't have much going for it. The funny, and touching parts are sparse and not really all that funny or touching. You really let a lot of Rushmore fans down Wes. The bottom line: a comedy should be funny, odd does not equal funny, and this is the most overrated movie of all time.… Expand

This movie simply sucks! I am a fan of everyone in this film but somehow this movie manages to completely remove any qualities that these actors/actresses have that make them great in the first place. Ben Stiller is NOT naroctically funny, Owen Wilson has zero charm, Gweneth has few lines that she mumbles now and then, Bill Murray is simply boring and uninteresting, the other Wilson is dull and dry. Gene Hackman has the only character that provides any glimmer of interest here but by then this movie will have you snoring into the credits. If you think this is movie, about a boring, dull, dry, dysfunctional family is funny then I suggest you may be easily entertained. Furthermore I am disappointed in Desson Howe of the Washington Post for jumping on the bandwagon with all the other critics who were afraid to go against a great cast in a horrible movie. Shame on you Desson and the rest of you who scored it over a 3 !!! Only thing this piece of crap was missing was Jar Jar Binks!!! I want my money back!!!… Expand

Brilliant! One of the best I've seen.

This movie was absolutely Brilliant! It may not be the best stupid silly comedy, but it had a lot of depth to it that you dont see very often in any movies today. It was dark and mysterious sometimes and then was very emotionaly satisfying and showed great detail about life. You people who said the movie was terrible must be Mentally challenged to say such a thing!

It was just terrible. For an all-star cast you would expect something a little better. This is one of the worse pictures I've ever seen. I thought the Narrator would never shut up. It may have been more realistic if it was set in the 1940's. Then I could see a use for a wooden prosthesis.

"The Royal Tenenbaums" was so charming and so delightful, I don't know how Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson did it.

Far too glib and superficial to work as anything but a series of gags it still has a fine performance by Hackman, a truly inspired oddball character who has done everything in his life to alienate his family and then tries every nutty thing to win them back when his estranged wife tries to marry another. Unfortunately, everyone else is made of cardboard; perhaps endearing but lightweight.

I dont use this term lightly but.... every single person who contributed to making this movie is a genius! i have been greatly inspired by this piece of work. much thanks and gratitude from myself to all who made this movies, especially wes anderson. thanks =D

One of my favorite movies of all time! Hilarious, thought provoking, simply wonderful! A wonderful cast. Inspiring.

I thought it was a very good film. So I watched the second half and saw it dilute itself. But while family dysfunction is in the eye of the beholder, there's something for everybody.

One of my all-time top favourites.

WORST FILM EVER!!!!!!! Boring, not funny, terrible, everything about it is rubbish, i hate it. Seriously, how it got good reviews is beyond me. There are so many better comedies out there.

Rarely do the elements of detaching quirkiness and heartbreaking drama combine to create such an irresistible product. Of course at the helm is Wes Andersen whose (borderline OCD) meticulous craft completely pays off for the enjoyment of the viewer.

With an excellent cast and a very entertaining "style" this movie is lots of fun to watch. I've watched it multiple times and I could watch many scenes in it over and over again. This movie will talk to a lot of young people but at the same time it's not for everyone. That should not be hard to figure out though.

Reminds me of the bad old days when American comedy exports were not funny they were just appalling. Anyone who found this nonsense funny really needs to get out and get a life. This film was utter dross from beginning to end and a total waste of Gene Hackman and the rest of the cast looked really bored all the way through. Wes Anderson has no sense of humour, no talent and should go back to commercials. The fact this film was put up for awards proves to me professional critics have not got a clue about the film industry and should go and get real jobs as they clearly have no talent as film critics, mainly because I doubt they even see the films they write about.… Expand

I'm actually surprised by the user reviews of this film. This film hits all the right spots. Along with Rushmore, Wes Anderson has already created the new foundation for future comedy-dramas in just his first few films. I'm willing to debate that what Anderson has done for the "dramedy" is similar to what Martin Scorsese did for the crime drama. In tone and pace (not to mention their use of camera techniques), their work will be copied for decades to come. The Royal Tenenbaums is hilarious, heartbreaking, and if you're paying attention, filled with emotion of all corners. Great ensemble cast, great narration by Alec Baldwin, and for those who call it off-beat, I question your rhythm. Gene Hackman delivers his finest performance to date. The best film of 2001, possibly the decade, and my favorite film of all time.… Expand

The Whole thing about the dysfunctional family, that reunites for the sake of a sick family member (Royal Tenenbaun, played by Gene Hackman, which by the way he was fantastic on the movie), i enjoyed watching it, the final scene I wasn't expecting for that, so that made me like it even more, i do think it was a good movie, with a great cast.

For all the detail and production, all the characters are monotone! Even people who LOVE this movie give a "but" to their explanation. Be honest. It's a large glass of rum and coke with mostly coke in it.