A 20-Year-Old Owen Wilson Line Is Still The Defining Quote Of His Career

Although he's starred in seven of Wes Anderson's projects and is credited for co-writing three of those, Owen Wilson made the most crucial impact in their third collaboration, The Royal Tenenbaums. Wilson and Anderson's partnership began with their first feature film in 1996. Since then, Wilson has become one of the director's most integral collaborators. The duo's writing is heavily reflective, which results in moments of great insight. These scenes are best observed in The Royal Tenenbaums where Wilson had the defining quote of his movie career.

The 2001 movie tells of Royal Tenenbaum and his family and is arguably the most significant portrayal of a dysfunctional family in Anderson's portfolio. The Royal Tenenbaums blends Anderson's dark humor with depictions of grief, executing the signature Wes Anderson tropes with no faults. The Royal Tenenbaums largely discredits the backlash against Wes Anderson over the repetitive nature of his films and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2002 Academy Awards. This motion picture also marks the director's final writing collaboration with Wilson, which allowed the actor to deliver a career-defining line.

Owen Wilson's "I Always Wanted To Be A Tenenbaum" Line From The Royal Tenenbaums Remains The Defining Quote Of His Movie Career

Owen Wilson's Eli Cash Is An Exceptionally Layered Character

Considered to be the illegitimate son of Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman), Eli Cash is a neighbor of the family and Richie Tenenbaum's (Luke Wilson) best friend. The movie follows Eli's journey as he struggles with his career prospects and battles heavy drug abuse. The performance that Wilson provides in The Royal Tenenbaums is very different from his typical role, which only serves as a reminder of why this seven-word line is a highlight of his career. Wilson's understated performance showcases his ability to provide an authentic portrayal and the deadpan delivery of the line made it instantly memorable.

The line has become a massive cultural marker for the popular found family trope. "I always wanted to be a Tenenbaum" resonates on an emotional level, flawlessly demonstrating the longing for a sense of belonging. The line captures the very heart of Eli's multi-layered character, who appears rather emotionally unavailable in prior scenes. Anderson's emotional depth is often illustrated by his opposing leads, such as Bill Murray or Jason Schwartzman. However, Wilson's performance in The Royal Tenenbaums underscores the significance of "I always wanted to be a Tenenbaum."

The Royal Tenenbaums Is Still One Of Owen Wilson's Best Movie Performances

Owen Wilson Has Demonstrated His Versaitlity With Serious Roles

Owen Wilson's terrible Rotten Tomatoes score is seemingly due to his frequent superficial roles. Yet, Anderson's work demonstrates Wilson's ability to deliver a powerful performance by embodying complex characters with a lot of depth. Eli is haunted by his past failures, and his connection to the Tenenbaum family is driven by a desperate need for acceptance. Wilson captures Eli's insecurities wonderfully and delivers a multi-faceted performance that sees him utilize his proficiency with comedic timing to locate humor in the overall dark tone of The Royal Tenenbaums.

The majority of Owen Wilson's best movie performances are credited to his collaborations with Anderson, including projects such as The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Darjeeling Limited. Wilson's chemistry with his co-stars also significantly elevates his performance and enhances many of their on-screen dynamics. Furthermore, The Royal Tenenbaums was a turning point in Wilson's career, as it was the first to delve into the complexity of a Wilson character and showcase his versatility.

The Royal Tenenbaums is a film directed by Wes Anderson, featuring an ensemble cast including Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, and Ben Stiller. The movie explores the estranged Tenenbaum family's complex dynamics as they reunite in their New York City home. With each member facing personal struggles, they navigate the repercussions of their collective past while striving for reconciliation and redemption.

Release Date October 5, 2001

Studio(s) Touchstone Pictures , American Empirical Pictures

Runtime 110 Minutes