Steve Zissou Life Aquatic breaks all the rules of formula. Assemble a lesser known cast, construct a bizarre story that pays homage to a man most people can’t recall ( Jacques Costeau or somebody like that ), add a generous heaping of dry humor and death at the box office is a virtual lock.
For every bucket of popcorn hurled at the screen, there were belly laughs. It’s a dramedy and a smart one at that, the poignant and bitter story of a man at the end of a career that’s been over for years as he forges a relationship with a long forsaken son.
I liked this movie a lot but can’t recommend it, unless one finds the director’s earlier films Royal Tannebaums or Rushmore amusing. Wes Anderson takes a highly non conventional approach to story telling, one that delivers rich rewards, although the journey is not for everyone.
What works about this movie:
1)Bill Murray is THE MAN!
2)The offbeat humor.
3)The dude singing David Bowie songs in Portuguese. That guy is going places.
Verdict: Like the Royal Tannebaums? Check out Steve Zissou Life Aquatic, full price and buy the DVD. There really is nothing like a Wes Anderson spectacle.