There is perhaps no other director with as much of a distinct style as Wes Anderson. Known for his oddball characters, visually-pleasing cinematography, and clever dialogue, among other things, Wes Anderson's films always leave fans wanting more by the time they're over. Anderson's 2001 The Royal Tenenbaums features a family of bizarre characters, the movie's events ultimately allow them to heal as both a family and as individuals.
Perhaps the most beautiful piece of the story in The Royal Tenenbaums comes at the end when the characters learn how to love each other again. And although The Royal Tenenbaums uniquely features that special Wes Anderson-esque style, there are plenty more similar movies that center around those same themes of love, growth, and acceptance.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Taiki Waititi's 2019 war/drama film Jojo Rabbit is surprisingly sweet and innocent, which are some of the words often used to describe Wes Anderson films, like The Royal Tenenbaums.
While the film deals with some of the heaviest subjects imaginable like the genocide that took place during World War II, Waititi switches the lens to focus on the beauty of growing up and becoming a better person as it follows Jojo, a boy who thinks he s the German army forces but learns by the end of the movie what he truly stands for. By using similar music, camera angles, and quick-witted dialogue, Waititi's most popular film is a perfect film to watch for Wes Anderson fans.
Before Sunrise (1995)
Richard Linklater's first film in the Before Trilogy exemplifies one of the richest and most beautiful love stories, perhaps ever told. The movie features such well-written dialogue that viewers feel as though they are part of the conversations between main characters Jesse and Celine, even though they're only watching from behind a screen.
Throughout the 100 minutes, viewers bond with Jesse and Celine as they learn more about each other and themselves during a romantic night spent in Vienna, Austria. Anyone who is a fan of the unique and touching romantic story between Margot and Richie Tenenbaum will likely enjoy the elegant story in Linklater's 1995 film Before Sunrise.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Director duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris may not have made a large number of feature films, but that doesn't mean their most popular one isn't anything less than fantastic. Little Miss Sunshine, is arguably one of the most poignant, sincere, and soul-stirring films of all time. Not to mention the fact that it's hilarious. With stunning performances from Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, and finally Greg Kinnear, Little Miss Sunshine takes viewers on a journey with young Olive as she fights to win the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in California.
Just like The Royal Tenenbaums, the story in Little Miss Sunshine focuses largely on family. Throughout the movie, the team of underdog, struggling family learn to love and appreciate each other as they travel in a beat-up old Volkswagen bus across the country. In its total runtime of 102 minutes, viewers will find themselves rooting for the Hoover family like they've never rooted for anyone else before.
Knives Out (2019)
Though it may not be an indie romantic comedy-drama, Rian Johnson's Knives Out is one of the most well-done, artful, and enthralling whodunit films made in a long time.
Similar to The Royal Tenenbaums, Johnson's 2019 crime movie sheds light on a large family with lots of , some of whom are particularly good at the art of deception. However, unlike The Royal Tenenbaums, where the father figure of the family is the most flawed character in the story, Knives Out features a family of suspicious characters who are all much less morally-sound people than the family father figure, played by the late Christopher Plummer. Overall, the movie makes for an entertaining and exciting watch.
Rushmore (1998)
Another classic Wes Anderson film, Rushmore takes viewers on the journey of awkward yet gifted high schooler, Max Fischer, as he learns what love is.
In standard Wes Anderson fashion, romance is portrayed in a nuanced and unorthodox way, with Max falling in love with his teacher, who ends up dating a much older man played by Bill Murray. Rushmore, in all its quirkiness, humor, aestheticism, and originality is the perfect 90-minute flick for indie comedy lovers.
s Ha (2012)
Famed Marriage Story director Noah Baumbach is one of Wes Anderson's frequent collaborators, and perhaps this is due to both of their unique abilities to tell heartfelt stories in somewhat of a non-traditional way.
What's great about Baumbach's s Ha is that it's not actually about romance, but instead, about friendship. Though it often parallels the storylines of other indie romance films, it also explores the platonic side of relationships between two people who care about each other deeply in s Halladay and Sophie Levee, which is somewhat similar to Richie Tenenbaum and Eli Cash.
Midnight In Paris (2011)
Starring Owen Wilson, a college friend of Wes Anderson who regularly appears in his films, Midnight In Paris tells the story of a charming, intelligent writer who is clearly engaged to the wrong woman.
Owen Wilson's character, Gil, in some ways resembles Gwenyth Paltrow's character in The Royal Tenenbaums, Margot Tenenbaum. She's dated a number of different men, but it's clear that none of them are truly right for her. Through the course of the cute, whimsical Midnight In Paris, viewers get to know Gil as he embarks on a time-traveling journey where he learns about the history of writing in the 192os. More importantly, though, he learns about himself.
Amélie (2001)
For over two decades now, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Amelie is viewers' go-to film for an eccentric, charming, and lighthearted watch. Similar to Wes Anderson's distinctive characters, Amélie is a bit strange. At her core, she's a sweet and innocent woman whose main goal in life is to help others instead of herself.
However, as the film continues, Amélie soon discovers the beauty of self-love, in addition to her love for others. Just like so many of Wes Anderson's films, Amélie tells a compelling tale of love and the profound ways it can affect humans.
The Worst Person In The World (2021)
The Worst Person In The World, explores the complexities of love, life, tragedy, career, and everything that affects humans deeply and emotionally.
Just like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Worst Person In The World offers an artistic and honest look at the pain of loving someone, especially when a person feels as though they don't know how to love. The main characters in both films are deeply flawed, and yet the viewer can't help but root for them to progress and persevere.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
One of Wes Anderson's fan favorites, Moonrise Kingdom portrays an awkward yet innocent romance that blossoms between two misfit teenagers. Similar to Rushmore, even though the main characters are strange and even at times disrespectful, all viewers want is to see the two end up together.
With catchy music, aesthetic symmetry, and beautiful pastel colors, Moonrise Kingdom is just one of many Wes Anderson films that intrigues viewers right away, making them root for the quirky young duo all while feeling like they've gone back in time to the 1960s.
