Enter Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman), the estranged, disbarred, and financially ruined patriarch. He fakes terminal stomach cancer to weasel his way back into the family mansion and their lives. Wes Anderson’s characters are usually dry, restrained, and emotionally stunted. Royal is the opposite. Hackman plays him as a roaring bull in a china shop—a con man who loves his family but only knows how to manipulate them. When he tells his son, "I’ve had a rough year, Dad," the line cuts because we realize Royal isn't just a villain; he’s a pathetic, lonely old man trying to buy love with lies.
Year Released: 2001 Director: Wes Anderson Starring: Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Danny Glover, Bill Murray The Royal Tenenbaums
If you’ve ever felt like a failed prodigy. If you’ve ever looked at your family and wondered if strangers would be kinder. If you love symmetry, dry wit, and crying while listening to Nico. Royal is the opposite
