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Review: Wes Anderson's Rushmore
by Jordan Hoffman

published 2/8/99

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Jordan Hoffman is LeisureSuit.net's Queens-based Senior Editor.



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Subj: Rushmore
Max Fisher is a kind and energetic. His energy and goodwill carry me through Rushmore laughing with a lump in my throat. I love the way Max interacts with each character. Schwartzman takes on a unique tone with each character. Max is the hub of almost all interaction and defines each character. It is Max's kindness that gives this film its kindness. Max is a geek? Yes. We had a Max Fischer in my high school. his name was Peter and his father was a plumber or an air conditioning repairman. Peter was in the choir, the cross country team, honor society, acting and countless other things of which I wasn't privvy. He to was a "captain of one of those clipper ships." He had a vague awareness of himself. He defined himself by what he did. He didn't publicize himself. Not only didn't he pity himself, but I'm certain that he didn't know how. That was Peter's Rushmore. Peter and Max have no fear of failure.

Early in the movie, Max makes Miss Cross his Rushmore. It is that love that begins to degrade Max's character. He becomes hateful and vindictive (the bee/elevator bicycle chain sequences). But Max comes around to his true character and finds a new project - bringing togther Miss Cross and Mr Blume.

Rushmore is Max's inspiration, the beauty in his world. It is a garden to which Max must tends. It is the place where we place our love. Rushmore is the place where Max wants to stay forever. I wonder what comprised Peter's Rushmore. Now I'll never know.

-- Neal
May 5, 2001 at 3:19PM

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Rushmore
All I knew about Rushmore was that it was made by the guys who made Bottle Rocket, and it starred Bill Murray and yet another relative of Francis Ford Coppola who's last name isn't Coppola. Of course, this is more than enough to sell me on any picture.

Rushmore is an extremely innovative and well-told comedy about a unique kid coming of age in (and out) of a prep school. Despite being produced by a studio, it, like Bottle Rocket, is essentially an indie film. Note: it is not quirky. Quirky implies a film that's odd or hip, showing a skewed perspective of reality, often using previously defined cartoonish tropes. While Rushmore may be at times exaggerated, part of its charm is just how painfully realistic many of its themes are.

What separates director Wes Anderson (and co-writer Owen Wilson) apart from most current comedy filmmakers is their optimism. There's a humanism in their work. Examples from Bottle Rocket include the extreme pride Dignan takes in his work, even if it is stealing, or the happiness that may be found at every turn, like falling in love with the maid at a lifeless freeway motel. In Rushmore, the optimism is embodied by the character of Max (Jason Schwartzman), a kid who wants to do it all and doesn't comprehend failure, even though most of his actions wind up there. I think we all knew a Max in high school . . . the kid who seemed to somehow get "inside" with the workings of the school and somehow be more than just a student. Max runs everything from school plays to the fencing team to the beekeeping society, oversees the parking lot, and can lobby to keep Latin as part of the curriculum.

Max, his millionaire mentor, played by Bill Murray, and the first grade teacher (played by some hot English chick) form a doomed love triangle, yet everyone is given their due and treated with respect. No one is mocked for their feelings or shown as foolish for their decisions.

Before Rushmore started I saw an ad for American Pie, an upcoming teen comedy (with Eugene Levy) cut from the traditional Porky's mold. Don't get me wrong--it looked all right with some funny lines, but Rushmore paints a much truer portrait of young adulthood. I am a male, and was once a young male, and, yes, my friends and I spent a lot of time talking about boobs and butts . . . but it wasn't the only thing we talked about. And it wasn't (and still isn't) always with the grossly female-conquering attitude. Another of the most fascinating characters is Max's loyal young disciple, who can't be more than ten, who reminds movie-goers that not all blonde young ‘uns are running around Home Alone. That kids can be smart, not Searching For Bobby Fischer smart, but understanding of the social order and their world.

But I make Rushmore out to sound like some boring column from The New Republic For Kids. It's not. It is a kick-ass comedy with this unique shade of a Louis Malle film as a backdrop, that's all. For God's sake, Bill Murray is in it! There's as much Waiting For Guffman, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, When Harry Met Sally and Wile E. Coyote cartoons as there is Au Revoir, Les Enfants. The TV ads are doing their best to play up this non-non-traditional aspect of the film . . . I mean, they want to sell some tickets!

Ooh! And there's this one fuckin' rockin' moment that just kicked my ass. Bottle Rocket had this amazing scene where the lovable Dignan finally is living his dream, and is being chased by the police. The soundtrack than kicks into "2000 Man" by the Rolling Stones. In Rushmore, there's the moment when Max finally gets tough. And in slow motion, he walks toward the camera with a swagger, sticks his gum to the wall, and the soundtrack blasts "You Are Forgiven" from The Who's "A Quick One, While He's Away". It's as good as cinema gets. Oh yeah, and he's holding a box of bees. A box that says, Rushmore Beekeeping Society.


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Name: Neal
Subject: Rushmore
-- May 5, 2001 at 3:19PM
Max Fisher is a kind and energetic. His energy and goodwill carry me through Rushmore laughing with a lump in my throat. I love the way Max interacts with each character. Schwartzman takes on a unique tone with each character. Max is the hub of almost all interaction and defines each character. It is Max's kindness that gives this film its kindness. Max is a geek? Yes. We had a Max Fischer in my high school. his name was Peter and his father was a plumber or an air conditioning repairman. Peter was in the choir, the cross country team, honor society, acting and countless other things of which I wasn't privvy. He to was a "captain of one of those clipper ships." He had a vague awareness of himself. He defined himself by what he did. He didn't publicize himself. Not only didn't he pity himself, but I'm certain that he didn't know how. That was Peter's Rushmore. Peter and Max have no fear of failure.

Early in the movie, Max makes Miss Cross his Rushmore. It is that love that begins to degrade Max's character. He becomes hateful and vindictive (the bee/elevator bicycle chain sequences). But Max comes around to his true character and finds a new project - bringing togther Miss Cross and Mr Blume.

Rushmore is Max's inspiration, the beauty in his world. It is a garden to which Max must tends. It is the place where we place our love. Rushmore is the place where Max wants to stay forever. I wonder what comprised Peter's Rushmore. Now I'll never know.

Name: bob
Subject: rushmore
-- Jan 18, 2001 at 1:29AM
nice nurses uniform.
These are O-R scrubs.
Oh, are they?

Name: Nick Copernicus
Subject: Rushmore Review
-- Feb 17, 2000 at 12:50PM
RE: the bee/elevator sequence
The choice of the "Fogiven"
chorus is the ironic choice for
the UN-forgiven sequence of
revenge and counter-revenge.
Did you notice that Jason Schwartzman's
face seems to harden as he leaves
the elevator, smacking his gum
against the wall? He looks almost
like someone else, has lost the best
part of himself in his revenge
frenzy? That he was 17, almost 18
when this sequence was filmed, and had
never been in a film before this...Well,
I find that incredible and believe that he has
a long and fruitful acting
career in his future if he chooses to persue it.
As for Bill Murray, his performance in Rushmore topped his previous
best performance (Groundhog Day).
This film also holds up very well to repeated viewings, there are subtilties
that may not be seen unless you have freeze-frame.
Like what? Notice the green Scotch tape tab left on the Christmas gift
from little Dirk (who was 11 at the
time of filming), showing that he wrapped the present himself.

Name: johnny5ace
Subject: Rushmore
-- Feb 6, 2000 at 9:53AM
Brilliant film. My friend just got the new Criterion Collection DVD of it, and it's amazing. Too much to go into here, but check out Reel.com to see all the shit that's on it.

Name: Renee
Subject: I loved it
-- Feb 5, 2000 at 6:02PM
I thought rushmore was a great, refreshing piece of work. Everyone asks me why i like it so much but what can you really say? Its awesome film making.

Name: Donny Beisbol
Subject: ahh, diversity
-- Jan 22, 2000 at 3:41PM
I'm glad to see there are people who DON'T like this film. It ensures that I'm not becoming one of the masses who enjoy spoonfed Hollywood cheese-morality spewing, patriotic chest-thumping, love wins out over all-weeping, xenophobic protectionism endorsing, brain dead crap. How anyone could say this is Bill Murray's worst performance ever leads me to believe that their view of the screen was slightly obscured by their cecum. ( If you don't understand that, there's my point. )

Name: Jordan Hoffman Responds
Subject: Re: Brilliant!
-- Dec 18, 1999 at 11:34PM
"and the squashed bike/cut brakes scene had to have been one of most darkly hilarious sequences ever filmed"

. . . .hmmmn. . . .maybe, Lauren, you need a dose o' Acme. Those scenes were straight outta RoadRunner. And I say that with the utmost repsect.

Name: Lauren
Subject: Brilliant!
-- Dec 18, 1999 at 11:14PM
This has to be among the best films I've ever seen. I know that about half of those who saw it just asked, "What the hell...?" when they came out of the theatre, a quarter were disgusted by it, and the other quarter, like me, thought it was just about the funniest movie ever made. Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray were brilliant in it, and the squashed bike/cut brakes scene had to have been one of most darkly hilarious sequences ever filmed.

Name: dogcow
Subject: This movie was AWFUL
-- Sep 1, 1999 at 8:07PM
quirky and offbeat are
aparenly synonyms for
boring and unfunny at least
if you beleive what the
critics have said about
this flick. Its slow.
molasses slow. Old man
at the ATM slow. Probably
Murray's worst performance
ever. Everyone lacks depth
and none seem to deserve
the sympothy you are supposed
to give them. For a comedy
its quite unfunny and for a
romantic film its quite cold.


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