“The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” is one of my favorite movies. Although, this has not always been the case. I remember being so excited when I read on the internet that Wes Anderson was working on a new movie and who the potential cast was going to be. Jaime and I were living in California when the movie finally came and it was released early in Hollywood. So we went and I was entertained, but sorely disappointed. I couldn’t believe it. It was the first time Wes had ever let me down. Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and The Royal Tenenbaums are three of my favorite movies. I felt like I had grown up with Wes. He was an old friend and we could always share a laugh and a quirky story. I was disappointed, but it was almost as if there was a relationship that had developed between us so I owed it to him to hear him out and give him another chance. And so I did. I had to watch the movie several times before I started to get it, before I found myself in the story. I am not sure how many people are willing to watch a movie over and over again that they don’t like. But as I said before I trusted that Wes had done something worthwhile and I gave him the benefit of the doubt. This story is broad and profound and deeply personal.The loudest critique of Anderson’s movies and of the Life Aquatic in particular is that it lacks heartfelt characters and the plot is lost in a whimsical and fantastic world. Part of the problem is that these movies have been pegged as comedies. They certainly contain comedic elements, but that title and expectation will inevitably lead to disappointment. The Life Aquatic is character driven. Steve is down and out and way past his prime in fact the “Zissou of my childhood represents all the dreams I have come to regret.” For him he is about to get together with his friends and make another movie. The crew on Steve’s ship, the Belafonte, mimic and mirror the real life experiences of Wes’s life making films. Another of the major themes is Steve’s pursuit of the Jaguar Shark. It is the thing that ate his friend, the thing that keeps him going, and in the end becomes the object of his admiration. Wes never intended the Jaguar Shark to represent any one thing, but rather lets it work mysteriously and wondrously throughout the movie. The films most telling story is the relationship between Steve and his probably son Ned. This is such a fascinating relationship because Steve “hates fathers and never wanted to be one.” He is and was intentionally absent from Ned’s life and through the coarse of the movie carves out his own unique way to relate to Ned. Ned is extremely sincere and innocent and finds himself drawn to and longing for a relationship with a probable father that neglected to even contact him and refuses to allow Ned call him dad. Steve sums it up by saying, "I know that I want him to think of me like a father, but the fact that there is an outside chance that he could realy be my actual biological son is very difficult for me." Steve as a protagonist is deeply flawed and ultimately leads to his own demise and to a peculiar sort of redemption.
The film’s story operates below the surface. It is vague and I am not sure there is anything concrete to take from it, but it operates uniquely and separately from other relational movies. It has something unique to say. There are so many sub plots and character’s that they can cloud the relational story of Ned and Steve if you do not see them as a function of the story and the only environment in which these two could exist. The theme of the absent and indifferent father is not new to Wes’s films. The same can be said for Royal in the Royal Tennenbaums, but both Royal and Steven make interesting self discoveries and unique growth that to me make their stories endearing and compelling. There isn’t a moral per say or a life lesson to be learned, but we get to see the illogical conclusion to an illogical world.
This movie has all the flair of a typical Wes Anderson movie. It is directed to the T with acute detail to wardrobe, camera shots, and soundtrack. It will not fail in it’s style, but the story lies beneath the surface if you are willing to visit it more than once.
6 comments:
"It's probably the last adventure I've got in me. I was hopin' to go out in a flash of blazes, but I'll probably just end up goin' home..."
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is indeed a movie that should be raised up on a podium. I would second any motion that put this movie in my top three.
Micah, i have to say that my experiences with this movie were quite similar to that of your own. At first when i saw this movie (i was so excited about it that i say it on opening day, christmas, with my whole family two years ago) but after having seen it i thought ... yeah this is good, but not great. It took me pretty much up until this year to really sit down and revisit Steve. And when i did i was overwhelmed. What a movie. Every criticism that i had before seemed to melt away before my eyes.
At first i was pissed that Ned had to die. I kinda liked the southern gentleman turned aquatic adventurer. I had such great plans for him and Jane. But after seeing it again, i realized he had to die. Not only that, but it was in his death that i think Steve really realized just who Steve was and i quote (Steve speaking to Jane):
"Well, I was a little embarrassed at first. Obviously people are gonna think I'm a showboat and a little bit of a prick. But then I realized... that's me. I said those things. I did those things. I can live with that."
Wow. What an epiphany. Could this really be the cavalier Zissou, hell bent on revenge of his dearly departed friend Estaban? It is a powerful image when we look back during the screening of the movie and the last portion of Steve showing Ned how to point, when in fact it was Ned who ended up showing Steve the right direction. Deep.
Another criticism i had originally was with the charcters. I thought they were too unbelievable (it was just a bunch of kids running around in animal suits) but after a few more showings, these very same characters drew me in like i was on the Belafonte with them. i was sitting up in that hot air balloon with Steve and Jane, i was standing next to Klaus when Ned revealed the new ensignia ... and suddenly these characters were as real as the computer screen i was watching them through.
One of my main problems with the movie at first was the use of claymation (?). In the previews this looked kind of cool, but then on the silver screen they just seemed awkward and a little over the top. But now i love it. They fit perfectly into the world of Steve Zissou. In a world of a genuine (albeit somewhat scripted) adventurer these creatures make sense. I think this was a bold step in an era of seamless CGI to bring a somewhat archaic, yet endearing quality to the film (which in many ways is a great metaphor of Stevesy himself).
This is a powerful film. Every time i watch it, i like it that much more. In my mind anything that combines little red caps, the ocean and seu jorge cannot be all that bad.
"Are you finding what you are looking for, out here with me?"
The answer is a resounding yes.
Well, Micah and Andrew, I am so glad that you have both developed such a strong love and respect for this movie and for Stevesy. I'm not sure how many times I've seen it, but I know it's been at least four (basically because of Micah), and I guess I can say it's growing on me, but definitely not yet to the extent that it has grown on you both. But it's so interesting to hear your insights. Maybe I'll get there too at some point...
ditto on all that. i could write more but for now i'll just say this is probably my most favoritest movie so far.
I didn't want my first post on this little one act to be a disagreement, but then I realized great dicussion must have conflict to truly be stimulating, just like a good story or film.
Unfortunately, I didn't feel that the Life Aquatic had a great story. It had its moments, and a good film is essentially a collection of quality moments, but that collection should be strung together by a strong storyline. Characters can't carry the whole thing. They need a good story to felsh them out. Only cartoons like the Simpsons or Family Guy can survivr without stories.
Interestingly enough, Life Aquatic feels like a cartoonish glob of nonsense, much like its claymation scenes that were esteemed earlier. Ned and Steve had a decent storyline going before the film shipwrecks and basically becomes a cartoon with the pirate attack.
I guess you can parallel the film with Ned's quest for an identity. The Life Aquatic can't decide if its a full fledged comedy, a heart wrenching drama, or ridiculous cartoon. Sure, those can be blended. Wes has done it before, but this time around, he just didn't turn the blender on.
Maybe, I do need to watch it again and again to eventually appreciate it, but really, how often does that happen?
Joe I love it that your first post was a disagreement. I read it this morning at work and i have been thinking about the movie all day. First off I am not the most objective recorder. I already love Wes's movies so i am easier to convince. Here's some musings. In the movie they accuse Steve's films of seeming fake and declining. The same has been said about Anderson's films. I think on one level Anderson is addressing this. Like Steve his movies are his passion and they are a creation of his imagination like the claymation creatures. I have to admit of all the things in the movie i am not really in love with the stop motion animation. In fact i barely like it, i probablly wouldnt even bother to flirt with it. But for whatever reason Anderson is infatuated with stop motion like his current project the fantastic mr fox ( a stop motion portrayal of Ronald Dahl's story by the same name)
I really find steve and ned compelling and attractive. Part of my conversion had to do with watching the commentary. The filming went way over schedule and everyone was tired and drained by the filming especially bill. When they filmed on the final day it was the scene in the sub where they see the jaguar shark. That day bill kept to himself and read all day and then the scene where they all look in awe at the shark and lay hands on steve was a cathartic and personal moment on screen and in the personal life of bill who was ready to go home and be with his family. The story line is the redemption of Steve zissou. He is a person who lived his life for adventure and domned the consequences. We see this in the way that his son ned becomes a relationship story line in his documentary. In his old age life caught up to him. I like that his transformation was slow, painful, and incomplete. In a way that felt more believable. Steve is still a cocky prick, but more self aware and he has to live with the wake of pain his life has left. The other story the cartoon with a pirate attack is subbordinate to this stroy line of redemption, but if someone doesnt like the characters they wont like the story of steves self realization and imperfect redemption so it falls into the unblended cartoonish mess you described. I think thats why I had to watch it several times. The character's steve especially are not that likeable especially at first. as i watched it more i got to know them more and then the story hung together better. It has been nice talking to you joe. by the way i like your self portrait.
Ya know, I liked Papa Stevesy and Kingsley. I just got annoyed with Wes, so I guess I just took it out on them and their film. Interesting insight about the criticisms of Steve's films being the same as Wes'.
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