Wes Anderson's latetest, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, has been receiving some decidedly luke warm reviews from both critics and the viewing public alike.
The general consensus seems to be that this particular aquatic adventure is too water logged for its own good.
I can understand how people might be disappointed - sometimes the dialogue is more stilted than dead-pan, and there is a fussy cleverness to everything, from the convoluted story line, to the costumes - but I have to say that I completely, unreservedly loved this film.
I adored this film.
I'm sure my undisguised affection for Life Aquatic points to something flimsy and frivolous in my character. But I don't care. I stand by Wes. This was a cracker of a flick. It was silly and vain, self-referentially clever and quite utterly ridiculous. And I loved it.
The story, such as it is, goes something like this:
Internationally famous oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) and his crew — Team Zissou — set sail on an expedition to hunt down the mysterious, elusive, possibly non-existant Jaguar Shark that killed Zissou's partner during the documentary filming of their latest adventure. They are joined on their voyage by a young airline co-pilot who may or may not be Zissou's son (Owen Wilson), a beautiful journalist (Cate Blanchett) assigned to write a profile of Zissou, and Zissou's estranged wife and co-producer, Eleanor (Anjelica Houston).
The character Steve Zissou is, of course, loosely based on Jacques Cousteau, the world-renowned and much admired French ocean explorer and documentary maker.
As the aging Zissou (who appears to have lost his mojo), Murray is charming, infantile, narcissitic, self absorbed and curiously, surprisingly touching.
Murray is an extraordinarily charismatic actor, and I think part of what makes The Life Aquatic so enjoyable, is the fact that Murray is given so much screen time. I can never have enough of him. And kudos goes to Wes Anderson (and Sofia Coppola) in allowing Murray to explore his dramatic capabilities. Murray can nail a scene like no actor working today. He can take a piece of dialogue, which in less capable hands might become maudlin or mundane, and inject his own pathos and idiosyncratic, exuberant energy to give us something utterly unique, and uniquely astonishing.
He is quite simply brilliant. And thank god he is finally getting the work (if not the Oscars) he deserves.
Article comments
1 - Joel Caris
I think Life Aquatic is probably a hard movie for a lot of people to like, but I loved the hell out of it, personally. Of course, I've loved everything Wes Anderson has done, so I'm certainly biased. But still, it was a great and completely silly--yet, somehow in a dry way--movie.
It certainly was more ridiculous than his other movies. The humor is just . . . well, sillier, as I already said. It worked fine for me, but it is something of a departure. I wouldn't put the movie up there with Rushmore or Royal Tenenbaums, but it's still excellent.
Possibly my biggest problem with the film is that I didn't get enough from the relationship between Zissou and Owen's character. It just never seemed to hit quite the right emotional notes to me and at the end--well, that ending didn't hit me as hard as it seems like it should have.
But it was still a terribly entertaining movie and quite funny to boot.
2 - Bryan McKay
Although the critical reviews weren't too great, everyone I know that has seen the film has absolutely loved it. Granted, this may have something to do with the fact that I attend a liberal college specializing in the arts (Film majors consitute a large percentage of the undergrad population, myself included) where many people have a soft spot (read: undying love) for Wes Anderson. I thought it was a fantastic piece and it ranked right up there with his other contemporary "classics."
3 - chelseagirl
I'm so glad you liked the film. I think the clue to why it's getting strange reviews is in one of the lines from the opening scene of the film -- "I just don't think they got it."
BY the way it's "Anjelica Houston", and "Sofia Coppola".
Also, just my opinion but I think Owen works very hard at that Ned character. I think his usual lazy charm is probably 'easier'.
4 - kirsten
Oops. Thanks for the heads up Chelseagirl (re: Anjelica and Sofia) - really appreciate it! And you're probably right about Owen. But he's always so easy to watch, that's the thing.
So glad you guys liked the film as much as I did. Some of the reviews I've been coming across were seriously starting to make me doubt my own faculties.
I reiterate though: I stand by Wes. This film was a corker. (As we say Down Under).