The Darjeeling Limited

The Darjeeling Limited may be one of Anderson’s lesser-known creations, however it remains deserving of all its acclaim, and more. The film follows the Whitman brothers who aim to reunite following the recent death of their father. On the brink of fatherhood himself, Peter Whitman is quick to take up the chance to travel halfway around the world to avoid his responsibilities as a soon-to-be-father. Francis Whitman’s plan to travel across India slowly falls apart: the brothers end up stranded in the desert, stuck with eleven suitcases and a laminator, and relentless petty arguments.

As the successor to The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited further reinforces Anderson’s unforgettable directorial style – beautifully symmetrical shots, a witty yet sincere script and a deep dive into colour theory. Several of Anderson’s motifs become solid traditions in the film, which only sets up for future projects like Fantastic Mr Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Wes Anderson introduced the world to The Darjeeling Limited with Hotel Chevalier, a short film which acts as a prologue to the feature-length, showing one of the Whitman brothers, Jack, as he tries to reconnect with a former lover. A glimpse into the world of Darjeeling, Hotel Chevalier is a sweet 13 minute film that ought to be enjoyed alongside Darjeeling itself.

Stuffed full of charming characters, not to ignore their quirks and personal struggles, Darjeeling features Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzmann as the Whitman brothers, known to any Wes Anderson fan as strong members of his arsenal of regular cast.

Dallon Costello