The Royal Tenenbaums poster
The Royal Tenenbaums

Picking Nits

The few objections concern Chas's tracksuits, Richie's suicide timing, Royal's moral turn, and whether the Raleigh St. Clair subplot is necessary.

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:06Read transcript
  • Chas and his sons wearing tracksuits constantly is not explained within the film.
  • Anderson reportedly explained the tracksuits as clothes that keep Chas ready to move at any moment.
  • The funeral's black tracksuits make the unexplained wardrobe choice worthwhile as a visual joke.
  • Richie saying he will kill himself tomorrow and then acting immediately is questioned.
  • The offered explanation is that saying the intention aloud and recalling Margot makes the decision immediate while the razor is available.
  • The panel questions why Royal flips from bad to good without a more explicit transition.
  • The counterargument is that spending time with the family is itself enough to change Royal, without a scripted speech explaining it.
  • The film's dense visual detail never becomes excessive enough that either participant would remove an element.
  • Raleigh St. Clair and Dudley's subplot may be unnecessary to Margot's discovery, but it remains welcome as part of the film's larger tapestry.