Film Review: Rushmore

Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman) is a brilliant young man who must do everything, and does it pretty well. Max begins "Rushmore" (directed by Wes Anderson, 1998) as the de facto ruler of the eponymous prep school. He is involved in about every club or team at Rushmore, and president and/or founder of the majority of those.

There's also Herman Blume (Bill Murray), a millionaire industrialist with two sons he finds loathsome who also attend Rushmore. Blume notices that Max seems to have it "pretty figured out"and asks him what his "secret" is. Max replies that "you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life. For me, it's going to Rushmore."

Unfortunately, all the extra-curricular activity has taken a toll on Max's academic performance, and he is found to be in danger of academic expulsion. While devising a way to remain at his beloved Rushmore (that doesn't involve more study), Max happens upon a quote written into a book about Jacques Cousteau. Following library records leads him to the pretty, young first-grade teacher Miss Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams). Max is immediately smitten, and his efforts are focused on impressing her, first by running a successful campaign to reinstate a Latin class, and then by creating a school aquarium, funded by Blume. In the process, Blume notices Miss Cross as well, and tensions rise between he and Max, soon turning to an all-out war.

The real strength in this film is in the acting, as Schwartzman and Murray (and Williams to a lesser extent) make their characters both sympathetic and larger-than-life. Schwartzman's Max is extremely self-confident (perhaps even arrogant), even for a teenager, but never loses the audience's sympathy due to his naivete and earnestness. Max is still a child trying to be an adult, and genuine in everything he does, not an adult reaching back to immaturity. Murray's Blume, however, is an adult who hates himself, his marriage, and his children, and wants to prevent Max from making the same mistakes. At the same time, he wants to be Max, and earnestly seeks whatever pleases him without thinking of consequences. This makes for a good supporting role, not only adding more comic flavor to the plot, but complementing the character of Max in a way that makes both characters more likeable.

Also enjoyable is the film's use of sound. One great scene is in the library, where the enforced quiet brings out little things like the soft scratching of a pen, the pouring of lemonade, and the sound of feet on carpet. Max and Miss Cross talk about their "relationship" ("You want me to grab a dictionary?”). Miss Cross speaks in hushed tones until Max decides to use the electric pencil sharpener and she has to raise her voice. Soundtrack is also used effectively, and the "love war" scenes using the Who's "A Quick One While He's Away" become more entertaining as the music perfectly fits the tone.

This is only one example of director Wes Anderson's effective use of soundtrack to create tone in the film. In fact, Anderson's quirky tone is evident in almost every aspect of the film, from casting to cinematography. This style for which he is now well-known works well with a story like “Rushmore,” filled with eccentric characters and a deadpan, quirky tone.

In the end, Max must find a way to channel his energies into something enjoyable while still maintaining the priorities that most of the world has set. He cannot "fake the results" anymore, and the audience is given a generally satisfying (although maybe a bit too easy) ending. "Rushmore" is worth seeing for great comedic acting and good story.