Pleasantly Surprised

Rushmore review
Jordan Rochelson

Let me preface by saying that Wes Anderson is not a director that all viewers will, “fall in love with.” Director Wes Anderson’s unique style of blunt realism is one that is lost on many people, and admired by others. The former group dismisses Mr. Anderson as pompous, while the latter heralds him as a genius and innovator. I find myself leaning towards the first group. In the films in which his style is shoved in the face of the viewer, such as Darjeeling Limited (2007), the viewer feels lost and a tad insulted – as if we must be stupid if we didn’t understand the humor. However, there are occasions in which Anderson manages to curb his directness slightly, and it is in these occasions that Mr. Anderson flirts with greatness. Rushmore is a prime example.
The charming film tells the tale of Max Fischer, played by Jason Schwartzman: a prep school student on academic probation who falls in love with a first grade teacher at the school – Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams). Fischer finds himself completely enticed by Ms. Cross – as he adoringly refers to her – and he spends most of his time trying to impress her and make her fall in love with him. Despite Fischer’s intelligence, he fails to see the obvious complication: he is a fifteen-year-old boy, and she is a teacher of thirty years (roughly). Both Schwartzman and Williams offer charismatic performances, as conflicted people without complete comprehension of their situation. A hilarious Bill Murray flanks the two, as the depressed millionaire Herman Blume who ends up falling in love with both Cross and Fischer it seems: Cross, because of her intelligence and beauty, and Fischer because he sees in him what he wants his hooligan sons to be. It is a hilarious story line, with very dramatic undertones.
It is true, Wes Anderson has a tendency to act sardonically in his scripts, mocking everyday life by trying to find comedy in places where no jokes are made. Anderson thrives on the kind of awkward situations that one would encounter on a daily basis. I would be hard pressed to find an occasion, in any of Anderson’s movies, in which a character makes a blatant joke. He tries to find the comedy in every day occasions. His issue is that he looks to far for them: in Darjeeling Limited he needed to take his characters on a wacky adventure in India, in Life Aquatic he takes his characters to the high seas in matching outfits on an exhibition to find…..god-knows-what. When Anderson tries to hard, he ties himself up in trying to explain what is going on. When he finds comedy out of basic stories – like a basic love story (Rushmore) – he manages to find that comedy that he is searching so ardently for. That is what is truly great about Rushmore, it is somewhat realistic and believable, that is why we can laugh, and feel for the characters at the same time.
If you are looking for the kind of film that makes you laugh and feel intelligent, then this movie is for you; if you want a movie that will show tell you jokes – then Rushmore will disappoint. I leave this movie with a feeling of intelligence and a recession in my hatred for Wes Anderson Films……for now.