The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

Besides maybe Robert Downey Jr., director Wes Anderson (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums) does weird better than anyone in Hollywood, and The Life Aquatic is another one of his bizarre adventures that's easier to enjoy than to describe. This particular story follows washed-up oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) on his journey to find and kill the shark that ate his best friend. Accompanying him are his (possibly) long-lost son (Owen Wilson), a nosey reporter (Cate Blanchette), his obnoxious arch nemesis (the obnoxious Jeff Goldblum), and a Brazilian safety expert who can't stop singing David Bowie songs in Portuguese. Still with us? Like all Anderson films, a series of ludicrous events slowly unravels once the crew hits the water, including the reckless use of dynamite, the adoption of a three-legged dog, a high-seas shootout with modern-day pirates, and Bill Murray in a Speedo. A lot of this is hilarious; the rest is just odd. Regardless, Anderson has the style to pull off a comedy that doesn't rely on a barrage of fart and groin-shot gags, making this the funniest high-seas adventure since The Perfect Storm.