Rushmore (1998) Review

 

Rushmore (1998)

Rushmore follows ambitious teenager Max Fischer, who, after a new 1st grade teacher begins at his school, quickly falls in love, a situation that complicates further as Max’s friend Herman also falls for her. 

A quality that Wes Anderson possesses like few other directors out there is his ability to make real, flawed characters that almost without question, make you feel more than anything. Even for his second directorial effort, the command Rushmore has on the themes of love, friendship, revenge, and hope is almost unparalleled, because no matter your age, there was (and for some still is) a Max Fischer in all of us. A young, lost kid, who doesn’t know what he wants to do, and so he does everything, stuck in this never ending purgatory of matured adolescence, hedging his bets on the first crumbs of love he discovers (even if it is a teacher). 

What's most brilliant about Rushmore though, is how it makes you feel; pessimistic yet hopeful, sad yet joyful, confused yet clear-minded. A good movie makes you think but a great movie changes your perspective on the world and this is what Anderson has done (and is still doing). His ability, through music, to make each scene truly unforgettable and impactful reaches real heights with this film because it’s not only a great soundtrack, featuring the likes of Cat Stevens, the Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and John Lennon, but it’s also one of purpose, forcing you to read into the tone and words as they relate to the picture, always carrying a supreme, deeper meaning. 

We get a wonderful cast, featuring Seymour Cassel, Luke Wilson, Brian Cox, Sara Tanaka, Mason Gamble, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, and Jason Schwartzman. Schwartzman, in his first role (and probably his most impactful), is simply delightful, as he offers up such a dry, quirky, and relatable performance that is so simple, and yet it really reaches inside to touch the more heartfelt aspects of budding youth. 

Rushmore, directed by Wes Anderson, is an endearing coming of age story about finding what you love and doing it for the rest of your life, something we can all relate to as we continuously try to find our own place in this world, especially as we leave unprepared clutches of adolescence. 

9/10