Rushmore

Quirky Romance

Main Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Brian Cox

Director: Wes Anderson

Hard to classify yet beautiful to watch, this coming-of-age tale shows off its cockeyed charm with every turn of its complex plot. Set on the grounds of a stately private school, we follow the trials and tribulations of Max (Schwartzman), a brilliant 15-year old kid thrust into the world of the adults. While his brain is top notch he still carries with him youthful enthusiasm and lack of well-won wisdom. This last is very much possessed by Herman Blume (Murray), a millionaire who is bored with life and finds something to interest him at the school, or more to the point someone: Rosemarie (Williams).

I could detail some of the plot, but any quick summary wouldn’t do it justice. How can you compress a scene where a falling tree triggers a deadpan talk of attempted murder on a grassy hill, or a party scene at the millionaire’s pool where he jumps in with a cigarette and glass of whiskey in both hands? Hard to detail the events that lead up to either of these funny events. This movie abounds with charm, and the characters are all off-center, mostly quietly, but sometimes obviously so.

Please check this one out when you want to watch slightly crazy but charming people go about trying to live their lives as best they can.